Discovery of a Probable Nova in M81, M81N 2026-05a

ATel #17807; K. Hornoch, H. Kucakova (Ondrejov), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 19 May 2026; 19:27 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Novae
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (ashafter@sdsu.edu)

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We report the discovery of a probable nova in M81 on a co-added 5280-s unfiltered CCD frame taken on 2026 May 17.874 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov. The object is well visible also on a co-added 8100-s unfiltered CCD frame taken on 2026 May 18.925 UT with the same instrumentation.

The object designated as M81N 2026-05a = PNV J09550289+6902138 is located at R.A. = 9h55m02s.89, Decl. = +69o02'13".8 (equinox 2000.0), which is 162.4" west and 101.3" 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 
 
2026-05-08.856 | >21.0  |      | C       | OND 
2026-05-17.874 |  20.7  | 0.15 | C       | OND 
2026-05-18.925 |  20.5  | 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