Monday, January 18, 2010

Possible Nova in Ophiuchus

CBET circular No. 2128, issued on January 16, 2010, announces the discovery by Hideo Nishimura (Japan) of a possible nova (mag 8.4) on two 13-s frames taken on Jan. 15.857 UT with a Canon EOS 5D Digital Camera (+ Minolta 120-mm f/3.5 lens). The object is located at:

R.A. = 17h39m41s, Decl. = -21d39'47" (equinox 2000.0)

According to K. Kadota nothing is visible at this position on a red Digitized Sky Survey image from 1997 (limiting mag estimated to be 20 by S.Nakano).

Below the confirmation image of this outbursting object taken by K. Itagaki:



(Credit: K. Itagaki, Japan)

UPDATE - January, 23

According to CBET circular No. 2139, Hiroyuki Maehara (Kyoto University) reports that a low-resolution spectrum (range 400-800 nm) of this object was obtained on Jan. 22.890 UT with the 25-cm telescope at the Kwasan Observatory. The spectrum shows H_alpha and Fe II emission lines and suggests that this object is a classical nova just after maximum.

This transient has been designated: V2673 OPHIUCHI = NOVA OPHIUCHI 2010

by Ernesto Guido

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