Grigg-Skjellerup-Catalogues I, II

S. Roeser, Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, advises us that he and U. Bastian are preparing a special star catalogue for use in making observations of this comet in connection with the Giotto encounter next year. The first part, consisting of an extract from the PPM and Fokat catalogues (but using equinox B1950.0) with stars extending 1 deg on each side of the comet's ephemeris during Nov. 1991-July 1992, will be available from the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Robert-Bosch Strasse 5, W-6100 Darmstadt, Germany, around Oct. 1. For the most critical time (1992 May 1 to early July) some 1000 additional reference stars of mv about 12 within 15 arcmin of the ephemeris are being selected from the GSC and AC in order to give a density of 35 stars/deg**2. Positions of these stars will be accurately observed with the Carlsberg Meridian Circle on La Palma later this year. This part of the catalogue should be available next March.