Following the posting on the Central Bureau's Transient Object Confirmation Page about a possible Nova in Cen (TOCP Designation: PNV J13544700-5909080) we performed some follow-up of this object remotely through the 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD + focal reducer of iTelescope network (MPC Code Q62 - Siding Spring, AU).
On our images taken on December 03.68, 2013 we can confirm the presence of an optical counterpart with unfiltered CCD magnitude ~5.0 at coordinates:
R.A. = 13 54 45.22, Decl.= -59 09 04.5 (equinox 2000.0; UCAC-3 catalogue reference stars).
According to Vizier the nearest star (located at 1.538 arcsecond from the transient) to this position in the USNO-B1.0 catalogue is:
USNO-B1.0 0308-0442031 (J2000) 13 54 45.374 -59 09 03.52 mag. B2=15.52 R2 =15.12
On our images taken on December 03.68, 2013 we can confirm the presence of an optical counterpart with unfiltered CCD magnitude ~5.0 at coordinates:
R.A. = 13 54 45.22, Decl.= -59 09 04.5 (equinox 2000.0; UCAC-3 catalogue reference stars).
According to Vizier the nearest star (located at 1.538 arcsecond from the transient) to this position in the USNO-B1.0 catalogue is:
USNO-B1.0 0308-0442031 (J2000) 13 54 45.374 -59 09 03.52 mag. B2=15.52 R2 =15.12
Our confirmation image (click on it for a bigger version):
Below an animation showing a comparison between our confirmation image and the archive POSS2/UKSTU plate (R Filter - 1999). Click on the thumbnail below for a bigger version.
UPDATE - December 04, 2013
According to CBET No. 3732, PNV J13544700-5909080 is now NOVA CENTAURI 2013. This nova has been discovered by John Seach (Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia) in six CCD images obtained with a digital SLR camera (+ 50-mm-f.l. f/1.0 lens; limiting mag 11) taken on Dec. 2.692 UT. Low-resolution spectrograms reported independently by M. Locke and R. Kaufman show strong H_alpha and H_beta emission indicative of a nova.
by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini
