[IAUC] CBET 1491: 20080902 : NEW VARIABLE IN ANDROMEDA

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                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 1491
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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NEW VARIABLE IN ANDROMEDA
     H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, reported the discovery by K. Itagaki
(Yamagata, Japan) of a possible nova on a CCD image taken on Sept. 1.6 UT
with a 0.21-m reflector in the course of his sky survey, with a confirming
unfiltered CCD image taken on Sept. 1.603 with a 0.60-m reflector that
yields mag about 12.7 and the following precise position:  R.A. =
2h00m25s.40, Decl. = +44d10'18".7 (equinox 2000.0).  A patrol image from
Jan. 26.532 shows nothing brighter than mag 17.5 at this position; there
is a very faint star (red mag 20.4, blue mag 21.2) in the GSC 2.3
catalogue with position end figures 25s.44, 19".1.
     Following posting on the Central Bureau's unconfirmed-objects webpage,
several other observers have reported confirming observations of this
variable star.  D. D. Balam, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Victoria, writes that the variable appeared with the following magnitude
and colors from SDSS-filtered observations obtained on Sept. 2.27 UT with
the 1.82-m Plaskett telescope of the National Research Council of Canada:
g = 12.91 (0.03), u-g = -0.20 (0.08), g-r = -0.11 (0.07).  Balam measures
position end figures 25s.45, 18".4, and he adds that there is nothing
visible at the position of the variable on the Palomar Sky Surveys (blue
and red plates).
     S. Korotkiy, Moscow; and T. Kryachko and B. Satovskiy, Kazan State
University (KSU), report mag approximately 12.4 from an unfiltered 300-s
CCD image taken on Sept. 1.834 UT with a 8.0-cm f/7.5 ED refractor (+
SBIG ST-2000XM camera) at KSU's Astrotel Observatory (Karachay-Cherkessia,
Russia).  They provide position end figures 25s.43, 18".7 (each +/- 0".1);
comparison with a Palomar Oschin Schmidt telescope plate (via Digitized
Sky Survey) obtained on 1992 Dec. 22 shows an apparent star at this
position with blue mag about 20.5.  Their image is posted at the following
website URL:  http://www.astroalert.su/files/novaand2008.jpg.  Photometry
of the variable obtained by T. Kryachko, S. Korotkiy, D. Denisenko, and B.
Satovskiy with the same 8.0-cm refractor during Sept. 1.843-1.934 clearly
shows a humped light curve with an amplitude of 0.13 mag and a period of
0.055(1) day, which is typical for U Gem/WZ Sge-type cataclysmic variables.
Korotkiy also forwards the following additional CCD magnitudes (unfiltered
unless otherwise noted) and position end figures for the new variable from
other observers in Belarus and Russia:  Sept. 1.821, 12.5, 25s.43, 19".0
(S. Shurpakov, Baran, Belarus, 19.0-cm f/5 reflector + Artemis 285 CCD
camera); 1.836, B = 12.9, V = 13.0, R = 13.3, 25s.42, 18".4 (M. Andreev,
Terskol, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, 28.0-cm f/6.8 Celestron 11 NexStar GPS
+ Apogee 47E Alta CCD camera); 1.842, 12.2, 25s.63 +/- 0".34, 17".45 +/-
0".27 (I. Chekalin, Taganrog, Russia, 18.0-cm f/4 reflector + Canon 350Da
DSLR camera); 1.846, 12.3, 25s.39, 18".7 (V. Nevskiy, Vitebsk, Belarus,
30.0-cm f/5 reflector + QHY-6 CCD camera).
     E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri obtained unfiltered CCD images
of the new variable star on Sept. 2.31 remotely through a 0.25-m f/3.4
reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., yielding position end figures 25s.42,
18".5 and magnitude 12.4.
     S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, forwards the following position end figures
measured by K. Nishiyama (Kurume, Fukuoka-ken) and F. Kabashima (Miyaki-cho,
Saga-ken) from four unfiltered 20-s CCD frames taken around Sept. 2.590 UT
using a 0.40-m f/9.8 reflector:  25s.41, 18".6 (mag 13.2).
     P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany, reports visual mag 12.6 on Sept.
2.144 UT.


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                         (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT
2008 September 2                 (CBET 1491)              Daniel W. E. Green