Discovery of a Probable Nova in M81
ATel #16961; K. Hornoch (Ondrejov), H. Kucakova (Charles University), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 28 Dec 2024; 20:56 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 in M81 on a co-added 2160-s unfiltered CCD frame taken on 2024 Dec. 27.225 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.
The object designated PNV J09561933+6902349 is located at R.A. = 9h56m19s.33, Decl. = +69o02'34".9 (equinox 2000.0), which is 247.5" east and 80.2" south 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
2024-08-23.100 | >21.4 | | C | OND
2024-12-27.225 | 20.6 | 0.2 | C | OND
2024-12-28.224 | 20.5 | 0.3 | C | OND
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).
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.
Discovery image
