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                   ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

                          COMET AND NOVA SECTION

DISCOVERY OF A COMET OR NOVA:

       If you note an unusual object in the sky, try following this procedure:

       1.  Make a drawing of the immediate region of the object, marking
           several known objects.  Note the date, time, and time zone.

       2.  With the aid of a star atlas, estimate the Right Ascension and
           Declination of the object.

       3.  Estimate the brightness (magnitude) by comparing with stars of
           known magnitudes.

       4.  Contact another observer immediately and have him confirm your
           discovery.

       5.  Check the object again an hour or two later to determine if
           there is any motion.

       6.  Send a telegram to the Harvard College Observatory giving
           date, time, position, brightness, and motion (if any).  Then
           notify the National Co-ordinator of the Comet and Nova Section
           by special delivery letter.


       The following is an example of a discovery telegram for a hypo-
       thetical object:

       HARVARD COLLEGE OBSERVATORY
       CAMBRIDGE MASS

       NEW OBJECT JANUARY 1 1015 UT. RA 16H 25M DEC PLUS 40 DEG 30 MIN.
       MAG 7. MOTION NW 2 MIN ARC PER HOUR

                                       JOHN DOE FIRST AVE CITY



C & N Form #3. (rev. 1/64)