COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
      INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                  Number 3076


                                   Konkoly Observatory
                                   Budapest
                                   26 August 1987

                                   HU ISSN 0374 - 0676


          PHOTOMETRY OF SUPERNOVA 1987A

Observations were commenced at Boyden Observatory of the
Supernova 1987A on the 27th February 1987; news of the outburst
had reached us that morning via the South African Astronomical
Observatory.

The 41cm reflector was used in this work, with an EMI 6256A
photomultiplier tube in an uncooled housing and pulse counting
electronics.


The brightness of SN1987A and the reasonably low dark count of
this tube ensured a good signal to noise ratio, making cooling
unnecessary under the normal night ambient conditions at Boyden.

The results of the B and V measurements are tabulated overleaf.

The values indicate that for at least two months following its
outburst the brightness in B has increased steadily following a
decrease during the first days; for V the increase has been
effectively continuous over this period.


                     A.H. JARRETT
                     Boyden Observatory
                     University of The Orange Free State
                     BLOEMFONTEIN
                     Republic of South Africa



                    SUPERNOVA 1987A

Julian Date          B         V         Julian Date       B         V
(add 2446000.0)                          (add 2446000.0)
         853.441     4.83      4.45      887.313           5.42      3.79
         855.333     5.00      4.40      888.219           5.40      3.76
         856.292     5.10      4.48      889.260           5.35      3.75
         858.417     5.40      4.40      892.344           5.28      3.65
         859.326     5.50      4.50      901.313           5.10      3.40
         860.344     5.52      4.49      902.240           5.05      3.38
         861.347     5.55      4.40      903.382           4.95      3.35
         862.351     5.60      4.39      904.354           4.91      3.32
         863.375     5.65      4.35      905.240           4.90      3.31
         864.361     5.70      4.30      906.250           4.85      3.36
         865.403     5.71      4.28      907.375           4.82      3.32
         866.365     5.72      4.25      908.382           4.80      3.30
         867.389     5.73      4.24      909.323           4.78      3.20
         868.368     5.75      4.22      910.354           4.75      3.18
         874.375     5.70      4.20      913.222           4.75      3.15
         876.326     5.60      4.15      914.229           4.70      3.15
         878.364     5.65      4.10      915.271           4.68      3.12
         880.368     5.60      4.00      916.358           4.65      3.11
         881.365     5.60      4.00      917.302           4.66      3.10
         882.347     5.55      3.90      918.281           4.70      3.11
         883.330     5.54      3.85      919.354           4.75      3.16
         886.368     5.45      3.80      920.292           4.70      3.10