Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31

ATel #16749; K. Hornoch (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), M. Zejda (DTPA, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic), L. M. Habrnalova (Silesian University, Opava, Czech Republic), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 2 Aug 2024; 01:16 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)

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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 2340-s R-band CCD frame taken in cloudy conditions on 2024 Jul. 31.856 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov and on a co-added 960-s Sloan r CMOS frame taken on 2024 Aug. 1.063 UT with the 0.8-m telescope at Zdanice. The object was subsequently found also on a prediscovery image taken on 2024 Jul. 31.004 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.

The object was independently discovered on Jul. 31.807 UT by J. Zhao et al. and designated as PNV J00425185+4115512 = AT 2024qui.

The object was designated by us as M31N 2024-07c and is located at R.A. = 0h42m51s.87, Decl. = +41o15'51".4 (equinox 2000.0), which is 85.1" east and 17.1" south of the center of M31 (see link to discovery image below).

The following magnitudes were obtained using the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov (D65) and the 0.8-m telescope at Zdanice (D80):

 
  Date [UT]    |  Mag   | Err  | Filter  | Telescope 
 
2024-07-30.092 | >20.4  |      | R       | D65 
2024-07-31.004 |  19.3  | 0.3  | R       | D65 
2024-07-31.856 |  18.4  | 0.2  | R       | D65 
2024-08-01.063 |  18.3  | 0.15 | Sloan r | D80 
 

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