Possible Nova in Sgr

Following the posting on the Central Bureau's Transient Object Confirmation Page about a possible Nova in Sgr (TOCP Designation: PNV J17452791-2305213) we performed some follow-up of this object remotely through 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector + CCD from MPC code H06 (Mayhill station, NM).

On our images taken on April 22.4, 2012 we can confirm the presence of an optical counterpart with unfiltered CCD magnitude 9.1  at coordinates:

R.A. = 17 45 28.02, Decl.= -23 05 23.2

(equinox 2000.0; USNO-B1.0 catalogue reference stars).

According to VIZIER there is a 16.21 R1-magnitude star at 0.237 arcseconds from the transient position (USNO-B1.0 0669-0621295).

Our confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version):

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 - April 25, 2012

According to Cbet 3089, spectra obtained by Christian Buil and Kazuyoshi Imamura, Okayama University of Science (OUS) shows emission lines of H-alpha. The transient appears to be a classical nova. This nova, designated NOVA SAGITTARII 2012, has been discovered by Stanislav Korotkiy and Kirill Sokolovsky, on three 30-s unfiltered CCD images (limiting magnitude about 14.0) obtained on Apr. 21.011 UT with a wide-field survey camera (+ 135-mm-f.l. f/2 telephoto lens + ST8300M camera) at Ka-Dar Observatory's TAU Station near Nizhny Arkhyz, Russia.


by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Giovanni Sostero