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Discovery of Another Probable Nova in M81

ATel #16998; K. Hornoch (Ondrejov), H. Kucakova (Charles University), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 27 Jan 2025; 21:19 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 second, and fainter nova candidate in M81 on a co-added 1800-s unfiltered CCD frame taken on 2025 Jan. 26.749 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov (see ATel #16996).

The new object designated PNV J09551875+6900102 is located at R.A. = 9h55m18s.75, Decl. = +69o00'10".2 (equinox 2000.0), which is 77.4" west and 224.9" 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 
 
2025-01-07.949 | >22.4  |      | C       | OND 
2025-01-26.749 |  20.1  | 0.1  | C       | OND 
2025-01-26.834 |  20.2  | 0.15 | 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