Circular No. 6718
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
BMARSDEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or DGREEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
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Phone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)


GRB 970815
     D. A. Smith, A. M. Levine, E. H. Morgan, and A. Wood report,
on behalf of the RXTE/ASM team at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology and Goddard Space Flight Center, their independent
detection with the ASM detector of an x-ray burst that they
identify as a counterpart to the gamma-ray burst source detected by
the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory's BATSE detector on Aug. 15.50491
UT (posted at http://lheawww.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/gamcosray/legr/
bacodine/baco_notes.html):  "The burst rise was detected in one
camera on Aug. 15.50597.  At Aug. 15.50623, the cameras were
rotated through 6 deg, such that the burst came into the field-of-
view of a second camera.  Observations with two cameras at
different orientations enabled us to estimate the position of the
burst source to be within an error box having the following corners:
R.A. = 16h06m36s, Decl. = +81o27'36"; 16h10m50s, +81o33'36";
16h08m10s, +81o31'12"; 16h09m17s, +81o30'00" (equinox 2000.0).  The
burst lasted about 130 s and showed a double-peaked structure,
reaching a maximum intensity of almost 2 Crab (2-12 keV) in the
second peak."


RR TELESCOPII
     P. Whitelock, South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO),
reports that the symbiotic Mira-type variable RR Tel is > 1 mag
fainter in the J band than is usual at this phase of its pulsation
cycle -- as indicated by the following J magnitudes from F. Marang
at the SAAO 0.75-m telescope in Sutherland:  May 22, 8.0; Aug. 12,
7.3.  The star's colors are red, suggesting increased dust
obscuration.


V4334 SAGITTARII
     E. F. Guinan, G. McCook, and S. Margheim, Villanova University,
write:  "UBVRI photoelectric photometry of the final helium-flash
candidate V4334 Sgr (cf. IAUC 6322, 6323, 6325, 6328) has been
conducted with the Four College Consortium 0.8-m APT in Arizona
over 23 nights during June and July.  The photometry reveals low-
amplitude (0.07 mag in V) semi-periodic light variations having a
characteristic timescale of about 22 +/- 3 days.  Smaller-amplitude
(0.02 mag in V) light variations also are present with timescales
of 6-10 days.  Light variations like these are commonplace for many
post-AGB stars and most likely arise from pulsations.  The mean
magnitude during this interval was V about 11.1, similar to the
brightness that the star has maintained since its rapid brightening."

                      (C) Copyright 1997 CBAT
1997 August 16                 (6718)            Daniel W. E. Green