Circular No. 6796
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 971227
     A. Coletta, G. Gandolfi, and M. Smith, BeppoSAX Science
Operation Center, Telespazio, Rome; L. Piro, M. Cinti, and P.
Soffitta, Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale, CNR, Rome; and J. Heise,
Space Research Organisation, Utrecht, report on behalf of the
BeppoSAX team:  "A gamma-ray burst (Bacodine trigger 6546) has been
detected by the BeppoSAX Gamma-Ray burst Monitor on Dec. 27.34938
UT.  A quick-look analysis shows a structured gamma-ray burst
lasting about 10 s with a peak flux of 630 counts/s.  The gamma-ray
burst has been detected also by the Wide Field Camera WFC2 with a
peak flux of about 1.8 Crab.  The position given by the quick-look
analysis is R.A. = 12h57m29s, Decl. = +59o16'.3 (equinox 2000.0).
The event was detected in a part of the orbit when the satellite
was not in an optimal pointing configuration, resulting in an
estimated error radius of 10'.  A BeppoSAX Narrow Field follow-up
observation is in progress.  Observations at all wavelengths are
urged."


SUPERNOVA 1997ei IN NGC 3963
     P. Garnavich, S. Jha, R. Kirshner, and P. Challis, Harvard-
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report that a spectrum
obtained by L. Macri with the 1.5-m Tillinghast telescope on Dec.
27.5 UT shows that SN 1997ei is a type-Ia supernova, about 1 week
after maximum.  Narrow emission lines from the host galaxy provide
a redshift of z = 0.011.


GRB 971214
     N. Tanvir, Cambridge University; R. Wyse, Johns Hopkins
University; G. Gilmore, Cambridge University; C. Corson, Apache
Point Observatory; and the APO GRB consortium write:  "We obtained
the following magnitude of GRB 971214 with the APO 3.5-m telescope:
Dec. 15.44 UT, J = 20.27 +/- 0.25.  Combined with the APO R-band
measurement (IAUC 6791) on Dec. 15.51, this implies a color of R-J
= +1.8 +/- 0.3.  Observations by the same team on Dec. 16.45
provide a tentative detection at J = 21.5."


COMET 55P/TEMPEL-TUTTLE
     Visual m_1 and coma-diameter estimates:  Dec. 26.81 UT, [12.0,
-- (A. Pearce, Cadoux, W. Australia, 0.41-m reflector); 27.48, 11.0,
4' (A. Hale, Cloudcroft, NM, 0.41-m reflector); 27.79, 12.2, 3'.0
(S. Yoshida, Ibaraki, Japan, 0.46-m reflector); 27.81, 12.1, 3'
(Pearce); 28.81, 11.9, 3'.6 (Pearce).

                      (C) Copyright 1997 CBAT
1997 December 29               (6796)            Daniel W. E. Green