ASAS-SN Discovery of a Possible, Very Bright Galactic Nova ASASSN-18fv

ATel #11454; K. Z. Stanek (OSU), T. W.-S. Holoien (Carnegie Observatories), C. S. Kochanek, J. V. Shields, T. A. Thompson (OSU), L. Chomiuk, J. Strader (MSU), B. J. Shappee (IfA-Hawaii), J. L. Prieto (Diego Portales; MAS), Subo Dong (KIAA-PKU), M. Stritzinger (Aarhus)
on 21 Mar 2018; 02:04 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Krzysztof Stanek (stanek.32@osu.edu)

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During the ongoing All Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN, Shappee et al. 2014), using data from the quadruple 14-cm "Cassius" telescope in CTIO, Chile, we detect a new transient source, possibly a classical nova, near the Galactic plane

 
Object        RA (J2000)  DEC (J2000)  Gal l (deg)   Gal b (deg)   Disc. UT Date   Disc. V mag 
ASASSN-18fv   10:36:13.7  -59:35:53.9   286.573       -1.088       2018-03-20.32    V<10.0 (saturated) 

ASASSN-18fv was discovered in images obtained on UT 2018-03-20.32 at V<10 (saturated). We also detect this transient starting on UT 2018-03-16.32 at V~10.4 (possibly saturated). We do not detect (V>17.0) this object in subtracted images taken on UT 2018-03-15.34 and before.

We have retrieved V-band image subtraction photometry time series at the location of ASASSN-18fv. No previous outbursts or variability are detected at the position of ASASSN-18fv since ASAS-SN started observing this location in February 2016.

Note that ASASSN-18fv is saturated in ASAS-SN data (see this image) and also located near a bleeding column from a nearby, very bright star, so both its position and brightness (see ASAS-SN Sky Patrol light curve) are only approximate. However, we have a clear signal of a bright new source on several nights and multiple images, so this is a secure detection.

Follow-up observations, especially spectroscopy, are strongly encouraged.

We would like to thank Las Cumbres Observatory and its staff for their continued support of ASAS-SN. ASAS-SN is funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through grant GBMF5490 to the Ohio State University, NSF grant AST-1515927, the Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation, the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP) at OSU, the Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy (CASSACA), and the Villum Fonden (Denmark).