Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31

ATel #15836; K. Hornoch, H. Kucakova (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), J. C. Horst, A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 30 Dec 2022; 21:07 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)

Tweet

We report the independent discovery of a probable nova found during our survey of the central region of M31. The object was discovered on a co-added 180-s R-band CCD frame taken during an early dusk on 2022 Dec. 29.028 UT with the Danish 1.54-m telescope at La Silla Observatory. The new object is visible also on prediscovery co-added 900-s and 990-s R-band CCD frames taken during excellent conditions on Dec. 28.691 and 28.703 UT, respectively, with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.

The object was independently discovered on Dec. 29.817 UT by A. Horti-David et al. and designated as PNV J00424067+4115451 (see ATel #15833).

The object has been designated by us as M31N 2022-12b and is located at R.A. = 0h42m40s.65, Decl. = +41o15'45".4 (equinox 2000.0), which is 41.4" west and 23.1" south of the center of M31 (see link to discovery image below).

The following R-band magnitudes were obtained using the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov (D65), the Danish 1.54-m telescope (DK154), and the 1.0-m telescope at Mount Laguna Observatory (MLO):

 
  Date [UT]    |  Mag   | Err  | Filter | Telescope 
 
2022 12 28.029 | <19.8  |      |   R    | DK154 
2022 12 28.111 | <19.5  |      |   R    | MLO 
2022 12 28.691 |  18.9  | 0.2  |   R    | D65 
2022 12 28.703 |  18.8  | 0.2  |   R    | D65 
2022 12 29.028 |  18.7  | 0.2  |   R    | DK154 
2022 12 29.097 |  17.78 | 0.09 |   R    | MLO 
 

As with all extragalactic novae, follow-up spectroscopic and photometric observations to confirm the nova's nature and determine its spectroscopic class and rate of decline (speed class) are encouraged.

This work is based on data collected with the Danish 1.54-m telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory.

Discovery image