Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31
ATel #17178; K. Hornoch (Ondrejov), H. Kucakova (Charles University), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 9 May 2025; 18:23 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Nova, Transient
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 900-s R-band CCD frame taken on 2025 May 9.089 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov under poor observing conditions.
The object was independently discovered on May. 7.883 UT by J. Xu et al. and designated as PNV J00414774+4112048 = AT 2025keh.
The object was designated by us as M31N 2025-05a and is located at R.A. = 0h41m47s.73, Decl. = +41o12'04".8 (equinox 2000.0), which is 638.4" west and 243.7" south of the center of M31 (see link to discovery image below).
The following R-band magnitudes were obtained using the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov (D65):
Date [UT] | Mag | Err | Filter | Telescope
2025-04-30.086 | >19.9 | | R | D65
2025-05-07.091 | >18.8 | | R | D65
2025-05-09.089 | 18.1 | 0.15 | R | D65
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
