[IAUC] IAUC 9004: V5580 Sgr = N Sgr 2008 No. 2; TIME ADJUSTMENT ON 2008 Dec. 31 [25139-2009/08-R1]

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V5580 SAGITTARII = NOVA SAGITTARII 2008 No. 2
     W. Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, reports his discovery of an
apparent nova (mag approximately 8.0) on two photographs taken with
Tech Pan film and an orange filter on Nov. 29.040 UT; the variable
was also present on Nov. 23.037 at magnitude approximately 10.3,
but was not visible (mag > 11.0) on Nov. 20.035.  The new object is
located at R.A. = 18h22m.0, Decl. = -28o03' (equinox 2000.0).
Liller adds that a pair of objective-grating spectrograms (yielding
44.0 nm/mm at H_alpha) taken on Nov. 30.013 clearly shows that the
variable has a very strong H_alpha emission with a FWHM of
approximately 2500 km/s, quite typical of a classical nova several
days after peak brightness.  Because of the low altitude (about 17
deg) of the apparent nova at the time of observation, the
extinction in the blue-green portion of the spectra amounted to an
estimated two magnitudes; for this reason, as well as to eliminate
overlapping orders, an orange filter was used (with Tech Pan film).
No other lines were visible.  A direct photograph (orange filter,
Tech Pan film) taken at Nov. 29.999 shows that the apparent nova's
approximate magnitude was 7.8, virtually unchanged from that of the
discovery image.  Note that the new object is located 1'.4 south-
southeast of the tenth-magnitude star GSC 6852-3160.  Liller
reports mag 8.3 +/- 0.1 for the nova from CCD images (with a red
filter) obtained on Dec. 5.044 and 6.038; a better position
measured by Liller is R.A. = 18h22m01s.39 +/- 0s.05, Decl. =
-28o02'39".8 +/- 0".7.
     G. W. Christie and T. Natusch, Auckland Observatory, report
the following precise position for the nova (an average from three
images taken with a 0.4-m Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector during Dec.
7.36, with the nova at altitude < 10o, its magnitude being R = 9.5-
9.9):  R.A. = 18h22m01s.50 +/- 0s.03, Decl. = -28o02'39".6 +/- 0".5.
     N. Samus and E. V. Kazarovets report that the GCVS team
assigns the designation V5580 Sgr to this nova.


TIME ADJUSTMENT ON 2008 DECEMBER 31
     Bulletin C36 of the International Earth Rotation and Reference
Systems Service announces that a positive leap second will be
introduced such that the sequence of UTC second markers will be:
2008 Dec. 31d23h59m59s, 31d23h59m60s, 2009 Jan. 1d00h00m00s.
Beginning 2009 Jan. 1, the difference UTC-TAI = -34 s (UTC-TAI has
been -33 s since 2006 Jan. 1; cf. IAUC 8567).

                      (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT
2008 December 11               (9004)            Daniel W. E. Green