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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Possible Nova in Circinus

Following the posting on the Central Bureau's Transient Object Confirmation Page about a possible Nova in Circinus (TOCP Designation: PNV J13532700-6725110) I performed some follow-up of this object through a TEL 0.43-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD from MPC Code Q62 (iTelescope Observatory, Siding Spring). 

On images taken on January 20.6, 2018 I can confirm the presence of an optical counterpart with R-filtered CCD magnitude +8.09 & V-filtered CCD magnitude +8.33 at coordinates: 

R.A. = 13 53 27.57, Decl.= -67 25 01.0 

(equinox 2000.0; Gaia DR1 catalogue reference stars for the astrometry).

This transient has been reported to CBAT/TOCP by John Seach, Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia. Discovery made with a DSLR with 50 mm f/1.2 lens.

Below my confirmation image (single unfiltered 60-sec exposure through a 0.43-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD; MPC Code Q62). Click on the image for a bigger version: 



An animation showing a comparison between the confirmation image and the archive POSS2/UKSTU Red plate (1997-03-31). Click on the animation for a bigger version: 




UPDATE - January 31, 2018

According to CBET 4482 issued on January 30, Spectroscopy by Strader et al., obtained with the 4.1-m Southern Astrophysical Research Telscope (+ Goodman spectrograph) at Cerro Pachon, Chile, on Jan. 21.28 UT shows clear P-Cyg profiles in the Balmer lines, with the absorption troughs located about 1300 km/s blueward of the rest wavelength (emission FWHM about 1500 km/s), and a number of Fe II lines (some of which also have P-Cyg profiles) -- suggestive of a "Fe II"-type nova. See also ATel #11209. While a low-resolution spectroscopic image by S. Kiyota that shows a strong hydrogen emission line is available here.

This nova has been designated NOVA CIRCINI 2018.

by Ernesto Guido

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