[vsnet-chat 4277] Re: re: Dedication!!!

["John Isles" <jisles@voyager.net>]

J.P.M. Prentice discovered Nova DQ Herculis early on 1934 December 13.  At
04:30 UT, feeling the effects of fatigue from seven hours' meteor work, he
took a break for a short stroll.  Turning towards the north-east, he had not
walked three paces when he noticed "something very definitely wrong with the
head of Draco."  The nova was of magnitude 3.4 at the time.  He drove off to
find a telephone to report the discovery to the Royal Greenwich Observatory,
where the spectrum was photographed the same night.  Prentice then returned
to his observing site, to watch the Geminids until dawn.  He described the
nova discovery at meetings of the BAA and RAS.  I do not believe he
mentioned the presence of clouds.  (I wasn't there at the time!)

George Alcock regularly used to search for novae in the gaps between clouds.
I don't recall whether any of his discoveries were made through sucker
holes.  It would make a good story.

John Isles

----- Original Message -----
From: "A.E. Rosenbush" <mijush@mao.kiev.ua>
To: <vsnet-chat@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp>
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 7:40 AM
Subject: [vsnet-chat 4273] re: Dedication!!!


> Dear Vsnet-Observers,
> If I am not in the wrong
> the famous Nova Herculis 1934 was discovered
> through once gap in clouds!
> Alexander
>

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