Circular No. 7074
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)
URL http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html
Phone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)


GRB 981226
     L. Di Ciolo, G. Celidonio and G. Gandolfi, BeppoSAX Science Operation
Center, Rome; J. in 't Zand and J. Heise, Space Research Organization of the
Netherlands, Utrecht; E. Costa, Istituto Astrofisica Spaziale, Rome; and
L. Amati, Istituto Tecnologie e Studio Radiazioni Extraterrestri,
Bologna, report: "A gamma-ray burst has been detected by the BeppoSAX
Gamma-ray burst monitor and the Wide Field Camera No. 1 on Dec. 26.40793 UT.
A GRBM quick-look analysis shows a single event lasting about 20 s, with a
peak intensity of 110 counts/s in the 40-700-keV energy band.  In the WFC
the burst reveals a complex structure and a duration of 260 s.  The maximum
peak flux is about 0.26 Crab (2-28 keV).  The position derived by the WFC
image is R.A. = 23h29m40s, Decl. = -23d55'.5 (equinox 2000.0), with an
error radius of 6' that includes uncertainties due to a nonoptimum attitude
control configuration.  A follow-up observation with BeppoSAX narrow-field
instruments is in progress."


1996 FG3
     P. Pravec and L. Sarounova, Ondrejov Observatory; and M. Wolf, Charles
University, Prague, report: "Our photometric observations of this Apollo
object from Ondrejov on six nights during 1998 Dec. 10.0-18.9 UT revealed a
lightcurve that is a coaddition of two components of different periods:
one has the period 0.6728 +/- 0.0005 day, with amplitude 0.19 mag, and shows
two deep minima and little or no variation at phases between them; the other
one has the period 0.14973 +/- 0.00002 day, with amplitude 0.06 mag, and most
of the signal is in the second harmonic.  These periods are consistent with the
frequencies found by S. Mottola and F. Lahulla (IAUC 7069); their frequencies
apparently correspond to the most significant harmonics, which are the second
harmonics in both lightcurve components.  Based on our observations, we
suggest the hypothesis that 1996 FG3 is a binary asteroid.  Details on the
observations and the interpretation are on
http://sunkl.asu.cas.cz/~ppravec/96fg3.html."


COMET 52P/HARRINGTON-ABELL
     Visual magnitude estimates: Sept. 4.05 UT, 12.4 (M. Reszelski, Szamotuly,
Poland, 0.25-m reflector); 23.07, 12.2 (K. Hornoch, Lelekovice, Czech
Republic, 0.35-m reflector); Oct. 14.06, 13.0 (Hornoch); 28.17, 12.1 (A.
Pereira, Cabo da Roca, Portugal, 0.25-m reflector); Nov. 11.84, 11.9
(Hornoch); 30.23, 11.1 (A. Pereira, Cabo da Roca, Portugal, 0.25-m
reflector); Dec. 20.82, 10.6 (Reszelski); 26.04, 10.9 (Pereira).

                      (C) Copyright 1998 CBAT
1998 December 26               (7074)              Brian G. Marsden