Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M31, AT 2026abyx
ATel #18055; K. Hornoch, H. Kucakova (Ondrejov), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 18 Sep 2026; 20:43 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 1170-s R-band CMOS frame taken on 2026 Sep. 17.763 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.
The object was independently discovered on Sep. 17.893 UT by
R. Fidrich and T. Tordai .
The object has been designated by us as M31N 2026-09c and is located at R.A. = 0h42m40s.90, Decl. = +41o15'36".5 (equinox 2000.0), which is 38.6" west and 32.0" 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
2026-09-15.763 | >19.3 | | R | D65
2026-09-17.763 | 18.6 | 0.25 | 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
