Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31
ATel #16392; K. Hornoch, P. Fatka (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), A. W. Shafter (SDSU), H. Kucakova (Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic)
on 25 Dec 2023; 21:53 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 found during our survey of the central region of M31. The object was discovered on a co-added 1800-s B-band CCD frame taken on 2023 Dec. 19.138 UT with the 40-in reflector at Mount Laguna Observatory. The object is also visible on several prediscovery images taken with the same instrumentation as well as with the Danish 1.54-m telescope at La Silla.
The object was designated by us as PNV J00424472+4115477 = M31N 2023-12d and is located at R.A. = 0h42m44s.72, Decl. = +41o15'47".7 (equinox 2000.0), which is 4.5" east and 20.8" south of the center of M31 (see link to discovery image below).
The following magnitudes were obtained using the 40-in reflector at the Mount Laguna Observatory (MLO) and the Danish 1.54-m telescope at La Silla (DK154):
Date [UT] | Mag | Err | Filter | Telescope
2023-12-08.021 | >19.7 | | R | DK154
2023-12-14.104 | 19.3 | 0.3 | B | MLO
2023-12-16.025 | 19.3 | 0.3 | R | DK154
2023-12-16.124 | 19.0 | 0.25 | B | MLO
2023-12-17.028 | 18.8 | 0.25 | R | DK154
2023-12-17.089 | 18.7 | 0.15 | R | MLO
2023-12-17.113 | 18.5 | 0.2 | V | MLO
2023-12-17.136 | 19.0 | 0.1 | B | MLO
2023-12-18.028 | 18.6 | 0.15 | R | DK154
2023-12-19.114 | 18.4 | 0.15 | R | MLO
2023-12-19.138 | 18.9 | 0.1 | B | MLO
2023-12-19.159 | 18.5 | 0.15 | V | 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 (in part) on data collected with the Danish 1.54-m telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory.
Discovery image
