Circular No. 6633
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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SUPERNOVAE
    P. Garnavich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
reports on behalf of The High-Z Supernova Search Team (IAUC 6160)
the discovery of four supernovae on CCD images taken at the Victor
Blanco 4-m telescope at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory
(CTIO) by N. Suntzeff, R. Schommer, A. Clocchiatti, and M. Phillips
(CTIO); and A. Diercks (University of Washington).  The supernovae
were identified by comparing the images taken in 1997 April with
those obtained in 1996.

 SN     1997 (UT)      R.A.  (2000)   Decl.        R      z     type
1997bu   Apr.  3    10h06m09.99   - 7 16'30.06    23      ?      ?
1997bv   Apr.  3     9 33 48.79   + 0 04 59.43    24    0.43     ?
1997bw   Apr.  3    11 30 42.02   - 0 37 56.56    24    0.5      Ia
1997bx   Apr.  3    12 25 11.80   + 0 04 54.37    23    0.35     Ia

SNe 1997bu and 1997bv are within 1" of their host galaxies.  SN
1997bx is 0".6 west and 4".6 south of its host, while SN 1997bw has
no detectable host galaxy.  Spectra were obtained with the European
Southern Observatory 3.6-m telescope by B. Leibundgut on Apr. 8-9,
the Multiple Mirror Telescope by P. Challis on Apr. 7-8, the CTIO
4-m telescope by M. Keane (reduced by R. Covarrubiason) on Apr. 5,
and the Keck telescope by A. V. Filippenko, A. G. Riess, and A. J.
Barth on Apr. 11.  Spectra of some supernovae discovered in March
(IAUC 6602) were also observed at the Keck telescope, showing that
SN 1997bb is a type-Ia object at z = 0.52 and SN 1997bd is of type
Ia at z = 0.67, and confirming that SN 1997as is of type Ia at z =
0.51.


BL CIRCINI
     Regarding the discussion about BL Cir and GRB 970402 (IAUC
6628, 6632), G. V. Williams, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory,
writes:  "A comparison of the original finder chart (Hoffmeister
1965, A.N. 289, 1) and the Digital Sky Survey (DSS) shows that BL
Cir is identical to GSC 9258.2458, an object classified in the
Guide Star Catalogue as `non-stellar'.  The GSC position is
therefore suspect.  A measurement of the position of BL Cir from
the DSS, utilizing 12 USNO A1.0 comparison stars, yields the
following J2000.0 position:  R.A. = 14h49m56s.68, Decl. =
-69o20'51".2 (+/- 0".3), confirming the general correctness of the
GCVS position."

                      (C) Copyright 1997 CBAT
1997 April 19                  (6633)            Daniel W. E. Green