[IAUC] CBET 1512: 20080924 : POSSIBLE NOVA IN AQUILA

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                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 1512
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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POSSIBLE NOVA IN AQUILA
     H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, reports the discovery by K. Itagaki
(Yamagata, Japan) of a variable star on his CCD survey image taken on Sept.
22.5 UT with a 0.21-m reflector; a confirming unfiltered CCD image taken on
Sept. 22.586 with a 0.60-m reflector yields mag about 14.0 and the following
precise position:  R.A. = 19h06m28s.58, Decl. = +7o06'44".3 (equinox 2000.0).
Nothing brighter than mag 17.0 is visible at this position on Itagaki's
patrol image taken on 2007 Nov. 2.396.  The 2MASS catalogue contains a very
faint star (J = 16.6, H = 15.5, K_s = 14.7) with position end figures 28s.60,
44".5.  Following posting on the Central Bureau's unconfirmed-objects
webpage, V. Nevski (Vitebsk, Belarus, 0.30-m reflector) reports that an
unfiltered CCD image obtained on Sept. 22.8 yields red mag 14.0 and position
end figures 28s.59, 44".6 for the variable, adding that nothing is visible at
this position on Digitized Sky Survey images from 1951 July 5 and 1987 July
30 (limiting mag approximately 20).
     E. Y. Hsiao, M. L. Graham, C. J. Pritchet, and D. D. Balam, Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, write that an optical
spectrum (range 390-703 nm, resolution 0.3 nm) of this variable was obtained
on Sept. 23.16 UT using the 1.82-m Plaskett Telescope of the National
Research Council of Canada as part of its targets-of-opportunity spectroscopy
program.  The transient exhibits a strongly increasing continuum from 600 to
703 nm with a broad and flat-topped emission (HWZI about 2700 km/s, 6.5 nm)
at the position of H_alpha, which suggests that this could be a heavily
reddened classical (He/N) nova.


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                         (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT
2008 September 24                (CBET 1512)              Daniel W. E. Green