COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
           INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                          NUMBER 37


                                          Konkoly Observatory
                                          Budapest
                                          5 November 1963


                     SUPERNOVA IN NGC 1654


     A supernova near the faint elliptical galaxy NGC 1654 (4h43m
45s; -2deg9'.0; 1960) has been found by the writer on plates obtained last
year with the 50-40 cm Schmidt telescope of Asiago. The star is about
25" south-east of the center of NGC 1654. The observed magnitudes,
in a provisional photographic scale, are:

   Sept 30,    1962   (17     Dec   20, 1962        17.4
   Oct   4            (17.5         22              17.4
         9             16.9   Jan   14, 1963        17.6
        24             15.0         24              17.6
   Nov  23             16.5         28             (17.5
        26             16.5?  Feb   23             (17.5
        30             17.1   Mar   12             (17.5
   Dec   3             17.2   Oct   13             (17.5
         5             17.2         18             (17.5


     The light curve is that of a supernova type I. It is likely that
the maximum (~14.5) may have been reached around Nov.1, 1962. It
would be desirable to have other observations of this supernova on
patrol plates taken in October-November 1962.



                                            L. ROSINO
                                    Astrophysical Observatory
                                              Asiago