Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31
ATel #15965; K. Hornoch, P. Scheirich, J. Srba, M. Skarka, P. Fatka, T. Henych, J. Pavelka (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), J. Kara, H. Kucakova (Astronomical Institute, Charles U., Prague, Czech Republic), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 29 Mar 2023; 20:23 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Nova, Transient
We report the discovery of a probable nova in M31 on a co-added 1260-s R-band CCD frame taken on 2023 Mar. 27.793 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov under poor seeing conditions.
The object designated PNV J00423893+4126379 is located at R.A. = 0h42m38s.93,
Decl. = +41o26'37".9 (equinox 2000.0), which is 60.7" west and 629.4" north 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:
2023 Mar. 16.774 UT, [19.0; 27.793, 16.56 ± 0.09; 28.775, 16.10 ± 0.08.
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
