Support ATel At Patreon

Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31

ATel #17014; K. Hornoch (Ondrejov), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 3 Feb 2025; 08:04 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 found during our survey of the central region of M31. The object was discovered on a co-added 900-s R-band CCD frame taken on 2025 Feb. 3.102 UT with the 40-in reflector at SDSU's Mount Laguna Observatory. The object is faintly visible also on a prediscovery co-added CCD frame taken on Feb. 2.113 UT with the same instrumentation.

The object designated PNV J00430161+4119362 = M31N 2025-02a is located at R.A. = 0h43m01s.61, Decl. = +41o19'36".2 (equinox 2000.0), which is 194.8" east and 207.7" north of the center of M31 (see link to discovery image below).

The following R-band magnitudes were obtained using the 40-in reflector at SDSU's Mount Laguna Observatory (MLO):
 
  Date [UT]    |  Mag   | Err  | Filter  | Telescope 
 
2025-01-20.142 | >20.4  |      | R       | MLO 
2025-02-02.113 |  19.0  | 0.2  | R       | MLO 
2025-02-03.102 |  17.97 | 0.06 | R       | MLO 
 
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