Discovery of an Apparent Nova in M31

ATel #5133; K. Hornoch (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic)
on 16 Jun 2013; 03:06 UT
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (aws@nova.sdsu.edu)

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I report the discovery of an apparent nova in M31 on a co-added 720-s R-band CCD frame taken on 2013 June 15.054 UT with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov.

The new object designated PNV J00424894+4115163 is located at R.A. = 0h42m48s.94, Decl. = +41o15'16".3 (equinox 2000.0), which is 52.0" east and 52.2" south of the center of M31 (see link to discovery image below). The position has larger uncertainty than have other M31 novae discovered with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov, in this case +/- 1" (rather than the usual few tenths of an arcsecond) due to the proximity of a bright star.

The following R-band magnitudes were obtained using the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov:

2013 June 12.025 UT, [19.7; 14.053, 19.6 +/- 0.5 (prediscovery); 15.054, 17.1 +/- 0.25.

I thank P. Zasche and J. Vrastil for getting prediscovery images.

Discovery image