Possible bright nova in Centaurus - PNV J13544700-5909080

malclocke (Malc) · #1 03-12-2013, 06:14 PM

I am setting up to take a low res spectrum while waiting for the sun to set here but we have cloud forecast here this evening so I am not hopeful.

Reported mag 5.5 on CBAT http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unco...0-5909080.html

AAVSO has a page and finder chart.
http://www.aavso.org/possible-nova-centaurus

Malc

astroron (Ron) · #2 03-12-2013, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malclocke

I am setting up to take a low res spectrum while waiting for the sun to set here but we have cloud forecast here this evening so I am not hopeful.

Reported mag 5.5 on CBAT http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unco...0-5909080.html

AAVSO has a page and finder chart.
http://www.aavso.org/possible-nova-centaurus

Malc

You are lucky Malc, it will be reasonably high for you in the evening sky,We will have to wait till the morning.
I am Sick of early morning observing after ISON so will give it the flick.
Cheers

malclocke (Malc) · #3 03-12-2013, 10:04 PM

My very dodgy spectrum attached.

Couldn't get a good visual estimate of brightness but I'd say it is between 5 and 5.5.

Malc

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #4 03-12-2013, 10:11 PM

Great news.
Sadly I have a whopping great tree in the way.
Though I might set up the polarie and the 550d if I'm up to it. At that hour I'm usually in Zombie mode though.

mithrandir (Andrew) · #5 03-12-2013, 11:01 PM

It's less than 2 deg from β Cen so should be easy to locate. Unfortunately it doesn't clear my new roof until about 2am.

Jon (Jonathan) · #6 03-12-2013, 11:24 PM

Nice work, Malc! First published spectrum. An Astronomers' Telegram has just come out confirming it as consistent with a nova.

Out of interest, I attach some SA 100 spectra I took of Nova Del 2013 on the day of discovery, then again four days later when it was at peak brightness (the Hydrogen lines are weakest at maximum). Looks pretty similar. I'll try for a SA100 spectrum this morning, clouds permitting. If the Ha line starts increasing, we'll know that it's already started to fade.

What are the chances of two naked-eye novae within four months? Crazy. I wish my L200 spectrograph would hurry up ...

ReaPerMan (Paul) · #7 04-12-2013, 12:29 AM

6D and Skytracker set up waiting for 0245 when it climbs high enough above the roof. Weather clear but blowing up to 30 knots at times.

Merlin66 (Ken) · #8 04-12-2013, 02:26 AM

No chance here in Melbourne absolutely p*^% down.

Jon (Jonathan) · #9 04-12-2013, 06:53 AM

Cloudy in Canberra too :-(

ReaPerMan (Paul) · #10 04-12-2013, 07:40 AM

Hope I got this one right.. my charts are a little skewed compared to the pic.
Canon 6D 105mm F7.1 15 sec

Full RAW pic available if anybody wants it.

ReaPerMan (Paul) · #11 04-12-2013, 04:12 PM

Now I have had more time. Here is the annotated pic and a sky view showing it in place.

Lee · #12 04-12-2013, 10:24 PM

Cool... another nova....

Might need to get the matchsticks out for this one though!

malclocke (Malc) · #13 04-12-2013, 11:15 PM

Here's my spectrum from tonight (Dec 4th). Some decline in H_alpha and H_beta since 24 hours ago.

Visually it appeared around mag 4.5.

cometcatcher (Kevin) · #14 05-12-2013, 05:51 AM

Fairly clear this morning plus it's in a good position for me. A few frames with the ED80 at f5.5. I hope I got the right one lol.

Jon (Jonathan) · #15 05-12-2013, 07:15 AM

I've written a blog post aimed at the general public who might want to see this "third pointer to the Southern Cross" - http://jonathanpowles.blogspot.com.a...ern-cross.html

Rob_K · #16 05-12-2013, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malclocke

Here's my spectrum from tonight (Dec 4th). Some decline in H_alpha and H_beta since 24 hours ago.

Visually it appeared around mag 4.5.

Nice work Malc! I made it out the same this morning, V=4.5 (04.74 Dec 2013 UT). I've added another spectrum to the Spectroscopy sub-forum, much better than the last. It picks up the H-gamma emission faintly as well as several other lines.

Anyway, here's a link to a gif animation showing the nova this morning & the same field back in May 2013:
http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/w...3animation.gif

Attached is a full-frame 200mm shot with inset of crop at actual pixel size (3888 x 2592 px image).

Cheers -

Merlin66 (Ken) · #17 05-12-2013, 09:22 AM

Rob/ Malc,
Well done!
I'm pleased to see we were able to get some lo-res data so early.
I hope your successes will encourage others to follow your footsteps.
This Nova cannot be observed by our N Hemisphere colleagues...this is one for southern observers..... this is our opportunity...

von Tom (Tom) · #18 05-12-2013, 09:41 AM

Nice work everyone

Here's a shot from Brisbane this morning in thin cloud and light pollution showing a wider view (cropped and resized 40mm EOS 600D) and a closer view (100% crop 200mm EOS 600D).

Cheers,

Tom

cometcatcher (Kevin) · #19 05-12-2013, 11:51 AM

It's in such a well known part of the sky. I don't think we could have asked for more.

Any indications of peak brightness and when?

Suzy · #20 05-12-2013, 11:59 AM

New reports out this morning have it at mag. 4.1 and spotted naked eye.

This now makes it the brightest Nova in the southern sky since Nova Velorum in 1999 which peaked at mag. 2.6.

If anyone wants help finding it, I have posted great guides with three different charts on the IceInSpace facebook page this morning.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater