COMMISSION 27 OF THE I.A.U.
       INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                    Number 149


                                        Konkoly Observatory
                                        Budapest
                                        6 August 1966


              MIRA PRIOR TO FABRICIUS



        In HO PENG YOKE's list of ancient observations [1]
No. (577) contains the information that a "guest star" in the constellation 
Thien-Tshang was discovered in Korea in 1592, November 28
(Gregorian calendar). This star "diminished only on" 1594, February 20.
(From the accurate date one can suppose that diminishing means
disappearing). Very probably the "guest star" was Mira = o Ceti, for
the following reasons: a) Mira is about 10deg distant from the star
zeta Ceti, which belongs to Thien-Tshang. b) The hitherto first observations 
of Mira were those of D. FABRICIUS, who discovered the star
1596, August 13 and notes the disappearence in October. According to
GUTHNICK [2] , the corresponding maximum lies around July 1. If
one counts backwards with a mean period (which is possible for such
short a time), one gets a maximum four periods before FABRICIUS in
the November of 1592 and a time of disappearence after the following
maximum in January of 1594. The minimum was presumably not perceived, 
because it has occured between heliacal setting and rising of
Mira. In view of the semiregular behavior of Mira, the agreement
seems to be convincing.


  Heidelberg, Astronomieches Rechen-Institut
  July 27, 1966


                                              P. BROSCHE


  [1] Ho Peng Yoke, Vistas in Astronomy, Vol. 5 (1962), 127. [BIBCODE 1962VA......5..127H ]

  [2] P. Guthnick, Nova Acta Leopoldina Bd. LXXIX, Nr. 2, Halle 1901.