[IAUC] CBET 469: 20060408 : NOVA OPHIUCHI 2006 No. 2

[IAUC mailing list]

                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 469
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS en CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
CBAT en CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
URL http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html


NOVA OPHIUCHI 2006 No. 2
     P. Williams, Heathcote, New South Wales, reports his visual
discovery of a possible nova (mag 10.5) on Apr. 6.565 UT, noting it
to be situated 4'.8 southeast of the nearby R CrB-type variable V517
Oph (itself invisible near minimum); Williams gave the position for
the new star as R.A. = 17h15m30s, Decl. = -29d09'30" (equinox 2000.0).
E. O. Waagen, AAVSO, reports the following precise position for the
new object from T. Krajci (Cloudcroft, NM):  R.A. = 17h15m33s.00, Decl.
= -29o09'39".9 (20 UCAC2 stars used in the solution), adding that a
nearby USNO-B1.0 star has position end figures 33s.007, 36".84.
Additional visual magnitude estimates:  Apr. 6.590, 10.4 (Williams);
6.611, 10.4 (Williams); 7.154, 10.2 (P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany);
7.552, 9.2 (Williams); 7.575, 9.2 (Williams).
     H. Naito and S. Ozaki, Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory; and
H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, report that a low-resolution spectrum
(resolution 1200 at H_alpha, range 420-680 nm) of this new object was
obtained on Apr. 7.80 UT with the 2.0-m NAYUTA telescope under hazy
conditions.  The spectrum shows a flat continuum with prominent Balmer
lines, showing a P-Cyg profile, and other lines in absorption, which
suggests that it is indeed a classical nova caught at maximum light.
The H_alpha peak shows a self-absorption feature; the FWHM of the
H_alpha emission is 1470 km/s, and its absorption minimum is blueshifted
by 1720 km/s from the emission peak obtained by Gaussian fitting.
Yamaoka adds that M. Fujii (Ibara, Okayama, Japan) also took a spectrum
(range 400-850 nm) of this object on Apr. 7.79, which shows the same
features as noted above.


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2006 CBAT
2006 April 8                     (CBET 469)               Daniel W. E. Green