LCOGT independent discovery of the bright M31 nova candidate AT 2023yqt (PSP23Q, ULL-ASTRO-MASTER-9, M31N 2023-12a) and ATLAS pre-discovery forced-photometry detections

ATel #16363; F. Barnes-Sanchez, H. Akoudad-Ekajouan, C. Araujo-Alvarez, C. Arrizabalaga-Diaz-Caneja, P. Eguiguren-Arrizabalaga, A. Iglesias-Lopez, G. A. Jaimes-Illanes, P. Jimenez-Sanchez, S. Lamolda-Mir, A. Mang-Roman, G. Marrero-Ramallo, P. P. Meni-Gallardo, I. Ruiz-Cejudo (ULL), M. Sanchez-Andujar (ULL and IAC), V. Wienzek (ULL), E. Esparza-Borges, F. Tinaut-Ruano, and I. Perez-Fournon (IAC and ULL)
on 6 Dec 2023; 00:34 UT
Credential Certification: Ismael Perez-Fournon (ipf@iac.es)

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We report the independent discovery of the bright M31 nova candidate AT 2023yqt (PSP23Q, ULL-ASTRO-MASTER-9) with the Las Cumbres Observatory PlaneWave Delta Rho 350 telescope, equipped with a QHY600 CMOS camera, at the Las Cumbres Observatory node at Haleakala Observatory, at SDSS g' = 17.10 +/- 0.02, SDSS r' = 16.93 +/- 0.03, and SDSS i' = 16.95 +/- 0.04 on 2023-12-04 06:22:09 (g'), 06:25:21 (r') and 06:28:32 (i') UT, with 180 sec exposures in each of the filters. The photometric calibration was done using the Gaia DR3 synthetic photometry catalog generated from the Gaia BP/RP mean spectra (Gaia Collaboration, 2022).

We measure a position of RA (J2000)= 00:42:27.47, Dec (J2000) = +41:11:08.3, calibrated precisely with Gaia DR3 stars, with an rms of the astrometric solution of 0.12".

This nova candidate has been discovered by Zhang et al. on 2023-12-03 12:21:16 UT (XOSS; PSP23Q, PNV J00422755+4111086) who reported it to TNS and CBAT. Additional photometry has been reported to TNS by Ren et al. (STSP; STSP-01N), Kechin et al. (MASTER; MASTER OT J004227.56+411107.8) and Castellani. Hornoch et al. (ATel #16359) have reported the independent discovery of this transient on 2023 Dec. 4.020 UT with the Danish 1.54-m telescope at La Silla Observatory and designated it as M31N 2023-12a.

Using the ATLAS forced photometry server (Shingles et al. 2021, Astro-Note 2021-7), we find pre-discovery detections by ATLAS, starting on MJD = 60281.38619 (2023-12-03.38619 UT) at ATLAS orange = 17.782 +/- 0.110.

Further observations are strongly encouraged, particularly the spectroscopic classification.

This work makes use of observations from the Las Cumbres Observatory global telescope network (program IAC2023B-001) and is based on observations made with the Las Cumbres Observatory education network telescopes that were upgraded through generous support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. This work has made use of data from the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) project (Tonry et al. 2018) and the ATLAS forced photometry server (Shingles et al. 2021). The Las Cumbres observations and analysis are part of a course in Astrophysical Techniques of the Master in Astrophysics of the Astrophysics Department of the University of La Laguna and the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (Tenerife, Spain). We thank David Bishop for his wonderful compilation of extragalactic novae and supernovae.

LCOGT r'-band image of AT 2023yqt (ULL-ASTRO-MASTER-9)