Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31

ATel #15901; K. Hornoch (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), H. Kucakova (Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 13 Feb 2023; 19:38 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)

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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 900-s R-band CCD frame taken on 2023 Feb. 13.736 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.

The object was independently discovered on Feb. 13.558 UT by M. Zhang et al. and designated as PNV J00422147+4112452 = AT 2023brc.

The object was designated by us as M31N 2023-02a and is located at R.A. = 0h42m21s.47, Decl. = +41o12'44".9 (equinox 2000.0), which is 257.8" west and 203.6" 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):

 
  Date [UT]    |  Mag   | Err  | Filter  | Telescope> 
 
2023-02-10.881 | <19.4  |      | R       | D65 
2023-02-13.736 |  17.6  | 0.1  | R       | D65 
2023-02-13.760 |  17.7  | 0.1  | R       | D65 
 

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.

Discovery image