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   PR # 42095
   Discovery of the central compact object is perhaps the greatest
   remaining observational challenge in the study of SN1987A. While the
   burst of neutrinos associated with the collapse of the progenitor
   star indicates the formation of a central compact object, no
   compelling evidence for this object has since been found. Emission
   from a compact object could be responsible for the changing decay
   rate in the observed bolometric light curve of SN1987A. The expanding
   ejecta should now be optically thin in hard X-rays and should soon be
   so in a narrow band below 7.1 keV accessible to ASCA. We propose an
   ASCA observation to search for X-ray emission from a neutron star or
   black hole in conjunction with an approved XTE observation to search
   for pulsations in the 10-30 keV band.
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