COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
         INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                     Number 3051

                                       Konkoly Observatory
                                       Budapest
                                       21 July 1987

                                       HU ISSN 0374-0676


             VRI PHOTOMETRY OF LMC SN 1987A

    Photometric observations of SN 1987A were done using 40 cm
 reflector during the period February 28 to March 10 at Vainu Bappu
 Observatory, Kavalur. Photometric system consisted of water cooled
 EMI 9658 R, photomultiplier tube operating at 1500 volts, a strip
 chart recorder and an amplifier. Observations were done through
 VRI filter combinations of Fernie (1974). The object was most
 of the time within 10 degrees of the horizon. HR 1859 and HR
 1744 were used as comparisons. The measurements were transformed
 to the Johnson system through observations of standard stars.
 We used Raveendran's photometric reduction programs and arrived
 at a V magnitude of 4.5+/-0.04 around March 2 and 4.2+/-0.04 around
 March 9. We obtained V-R = +0.48+/-0.03 and R-I = +0.42+/-0.03.
 The values quoted are mean values for a period of 4 days each.


 Acknowledgements

       We thank Dr. N. Kameswara Rao, Mr. A.V. Raveendran, S. Mohin
 and Dr. Sunetra Giridhar for useful discussions and their 
 encouragement.





         K.E. RANGARAJAN, K. JAYAKUMAR, M. APPAKUTTY and H.D. SHERIFF
         Indian Institute of Astrophysics
         Vainu Bappu Observatory
         Kavalur, Tamil Nadu 635 701
         India



Reference:

Fernie, J.D., 1974, Publs. Astr. Soc. Pacif. 86, 837. [BIBCODE 1974PASP...86..837F ]