Discovery of Probable Galactic Nova with Gaia

ATel #14402; S. T. Hodgkin, A. Delgado, D. L. Harrison, M. van Leeuwen, G. Rixon, T. Wevers, A. Yoldas (IoA Cambridge), N. Ihanec, K. Kruszynska, K. A. Rybicki, L. Wyrzykowski (Warsaw University Astronomical Observatory), Z. Kostrzewa-Rutkowska (Leiden Observatory), D. Eappachen (SRON/RU), G. Marton (Konkoly Observatory), on behalf of the Gaia Alerts team
on 18 Feb 2021; 14:25 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Simon Hodgkin (sth@ast.cam.ac.uk)

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We report the discovery of a probable galactic nova with Gaia. The transient was detected by the Gaia Alerts system on 2021 February 18, following the Gaia observation on 2021 February 15 at 23:23:09 UT. It was given the name Gaia21avt. Our classification is based on the BP/RP (blue photometer/red photometer) low dispersion spectrum that was taken by Gaia during the observation. The spectrum is uncalibrated but shows strong emission lines which we identify with Halpha and the Ca triplet. The transient is detected at G=15.75 and is located at RA = 17:33:14.83, Dec = -27:43:10.99 (263.31181, -27.71972 in degrees). There is no PanSTARRS source at this position. There is a r=19.1 source 1.5 arcsec away which we believe to be unrelated. We reported the discovery to TNS as AT2021ddo. Further observations are encouraged. More information (as well as the BP/RP spectrum) available at http://gsaweb.ast.cam.ac.uk/alerts/alert/Gaia21avt/ Acknowledgements: This work has made use of data from the European Space Agency (ESA) mission Gaia (https://www.cosmos.esa.int/gaia), processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC, https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dpac/consortium). Funding for the DPAC has been provided by national institutions, in particular the institutions participating in the Gaia Multilateral Agreement.

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