The Japanese X-ray Satellite ASCA will see comet Hale-Bopp on December 5, conducted by Japanese Team (PI J. Watanabe) jointly by U.S. Team (PI C. Lisse). Because the comet is in the southern sky, the ground-based telescope in Japan cannot see it. It is very helpful if any observers in the southern hemisphere take several CCD images of this comet during our observation.

Allocated time of the ASCA is

from 05:45 UT December 5, 1997
through 03:30 UT December 6, 1997

Best regards,

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Junichi Watanabe
watanabe@pub.mtk.nao.ac.jp
Public Information Office
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan 
Osawa, Mitaka, 181 Tokyo Japan
FAX:  +81-422-34-3810
Phone:+81-422-34-3644
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