****************************************************** PR # 31536 The Circinus galaxy is probably the nearest Seyfert 2 galaxy(4 Mpc). It has been detected during the ROSAT all sky survey. We propose to observe the Circinus galaxy with ASCA. A 40 ksec observation hould al low us to study in detail: a) the possible starburst emission b) the nuclear X-rays scattered into the line of sight by electrons; c) the nuclear emission directly, if the column density is low enough, inclu ding the relativistic line from the putative accretion disc; or, if t he is invisible, the emission reprocessed by both the molecular torus and the warm "mirror", and in particular the iron line complex (anal ogously to NGC~1068). ******************************************************