Discovery of a Possible Nova in M81

ATel #16798; K. Hornoch (Ondrejov), H. Kucakova (Charles University), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 3 Sep 2024; 21:05 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)

Tweet

We report the discovery of a possible nova in M81 on a co-added 1620-s unfiltered CCD frame taken on 2024 Aug. 30.113 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.

The object designated PNV J09551941+6909515 is located at R.A. = 9h55m19s.41, Decl. = +69o09'51".5 (equinox 2000.0), which is 73.6" west and 356.4" north of the center of M81 (see link to discovery image below).

Here we list the observing dates and corresponding photometry:

 
  Date [UT]    |  Mag   | Err  | Filter  | Telescope 
 
2023-01-11.119 | <21.3  |      | C       | OND  
2024-08-23.100 | <21.2  |      | C       | OND  
2024-08-30.113 |  20.4  | 0.2  | C       | OND  
2024-09-03.097 |  20.9  | 0.3  | C       | OND  
 

As with all extragalactic novae, follow-up spectroscopic and photometric observations to determine the nova's spectroscopic class and rate of decline (speed class) are encouraged. The OND 0.65-m is a reflecting telescope at the Ondrejov observatory operated jointly by the Astronomical Institute of ASCR and the Astronomical Institute of the Charles University of Prague, Czech Republic. It uses a Moravian Instruments G2-3200 MkII CCD camera (with a Kodak KAF-3200ME sensor and standard BVRI photometric filters) mounted at the prime focus. The unfiltered OND photometry was calibrated against R-band comparison stars from Perelmuter & Racine (1995).

Discovery image