Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M81, M81N 2026-02a

ATel #17694; K. Hornoch, H. Kucakova (Ondrejov), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 23 Feb 2026; 05:54 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)

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We report the independent discovery of a probable nova in M81 on a co-added 6030-s unfiltered CCD frame taken on 2026 Feb. 20.893 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.

The object was independently discovered on Feb. 20.4134 UT by J. Tonry et al. (ATLAS) and designated as AT 2026dvq.

The object designated by us as M81N 2026-02a = PNV J09550159+6908427 is located at R.A. = 9h55m01s.59, Decl. = +69o08'42".7 (equinox 2000.0), which is 169.0" west and 287.6" 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 
  
2026-02-15.919 | >21.7  |      | C       | OND 
2026-02-20.893 |  19.01 | 0.08 | 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