Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31
ATel #16697; K. Hornoch (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), H. Kucakova (Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 9 Jul 2024; 17:51 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Nova, Transient
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 1200-s R-band CCD frame taken on 2024 Jul. 9.052 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.
The object was independently discovered on Jul. 7.136 and 9.094 UT by J. Zhao and reported on 9.167 UT as PNV J00424415+4116276 = AT 2024pbp.
The object was designated by us as M31N 2024-07a and is located at R.A. = 0h42m44s.17, Decl. = +41o16'28".1 (equinox 2000.0), which is 1.7" west and 19.6" 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 (D65):
Date [UT] | Mag | Err | Filter | Telescope
2024-06-26.040 | >19.0 | | R | D65
2024-07-09.052 | 17.5 | 0.15 | R | D65
2024-07-09.067 | 17.5 | 0.15 | 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
