Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31
ATel #16074; K. Hornoch (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), M. Myslivec (HVBO, Czech Republic), H. Kucakova, P. Zasche (Astronomical Institute, Charles U., Prague, Czech Republic)
on 5 Jun 2023; 21:49 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 11400-s H_alpha CCD frame taken on 2023 Jun. 2.004 UT with the 0.4-m telescope at Belec nad Orlici.
The object designated PNV J00424628+4116210 is located at R.A. = 0h42m46s.28, Decl. = +41o16'21".0 (equinox 2000.0), which is 22.1" east and 12.5" north of the center of M31 (see link to discovery image below).
The following magnitudes were obtained using the 0.4-m telescope at Belec nad Orlici (HVBO) and the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov (D65):
Date [UT] | Mag | Err | Filter | Telescope
2021-12-22.772 | <18.7 | | H_alpha | HVBO
2023-06-01.065 | <18.6 | | R | D65
2023-06-02.004 | 16.5 | 0.15 | H_alpha | HVBO
2023-06-02.999 | 16.7 | 0.2 | H_alpha | HVBO
2023-06-03.955 | 16.8 | 0.2 | H_alpha | HVBO
2023-06-04.034 | <18.5 | | 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. However, an H_alpha excess measured from our H_alpha and R-band images is greater than 2 magnitudes which is consistent with the classification of the object as a nova.
Discovery image
