Numerical methods are used to investigate the transient heat transfer from an elliptic cylinder to a steady stream of viscous, incompressible fluid. The temperature of the cylinder is considered spatially uniform but not constant in time. The momentum and heat balance equations were solved numerically in elliptic coordinate system. The solutions span the parameter ranges 5 <= Re <= 40, 1 <= Pr <= 100 and axis ratio epsilon, 0.1 <= epsilon <= 0.75. The computations were focused on the influence of the axis ratio and volume heat capacity ratio on the heat transfer rate. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.