Monday, June 3, 2013

Possible Nova in Sco - PNV J17335943-3606216

Following the posting on the Central Bureau's Transient Object Confirmation Page about a possible Nova in Sco (TOCP Designation: PNV J17335943-3606216) we performed some follow-up of this object remotely through the 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer of iTelescope network (MPC Code  Q62 - Siding Spring, AU).

On our images taken on June 03.7, 2013 we can confirm the presence of an optical counterpart with unfiltered CCD magnitude 11.5 at coordinates:

R.A. = 17 33 59.44, Decl.= -36 06 20.7

(equinox 2000.0; UCAC-3 catalogue reference stars).

Our annotated confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version). North is up, East is to the left:

 
An animation showing a comparison between our confirmation image and the archive POSS2/UKSTU plate (R Filter - 1996). Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:


UPDATE - June 04, 2013

According to Cbet No. 3542, PNV J17335943-3606216 is now NOVA SCORPII 2013. This nova has been discovered by Koichi Nishiyama and Fujio Kabashima (Japan) on two 40-s unfiltered CCD frames (limiting magnitude 13.5) taken around June 3.6146 UT using a 105-mm f/4 camera lens (+ SBIG STL6303E camera). Spectra obtained by C. Buil (the spectrum shows a very reddened object, with an intense H-alpha emission line - equivalent width 2.9 nm; FWHM = 1200 km/s ), and independently by T. Bohlsen indicate a probable nova.

Credit: C. Buil, Castanet, France

by Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes

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