Reply-To: Jeremy Shears <bunburyobservatory@hotmail.com>
To: "baa-alerts@britastro.simplelists.com" <baa-alerts@britastro.simplelists.com>
I would like to alert members to a bright (8th mag) nova in Cassiopeia discovered yesterday (March 18). It is a binocular object and well worth a look if you get clear skies. Here’s the story.
Yuji Nakamura (Kameyama, Mie, Japan) reported the discovery of a possible nova, PNV J23244760+6111140, on March 18.4236.
Tonny Vanmunster confirmed the transient at March 18.306 UT, V -band magnitude 8.95 +/- 0.03 (CBA Extremadura Observatory using a 0.40-m
The Astronomers Telegram 14471 reports spectroscopic classification of the object as a classical nova (Hiroyuki Maehara (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan), Kenta Taguchi (Kyoto University), Yusuke Tampo (Kyoto University), Naoto Kojiguchi (Kyoto University), Keisuke Isogai (Kyoto University).
Nova Cas 2021 is located at
This is a bright nova (latest observations I’ve seen on the morning of March have it at 8th mag) and further observations are encouraged. The field is circumpolar from UK and it should be an easy binocular object. Charts and sequences are available from the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter: https://app.aavso.org/vsp/chart/?east=r ... type=chart
Note that you can scale and orientate the chert to your preference)
Follow the unfolding story of this nova on the BAA Forum: https://www.britastro.org/node/25814
Please submit your observations to the BAA Variable Star Section. It would be great to see your images on BAA Member Albums.
Jeremy Shears
Director, BAA Variable Star Section
[PS Just to note: I joined the British Astronomical Association because of this post in our Beginners Forum
https://www.theskysearchers.com/viewtop ... =4&t=14787
Greenman thanked KathyNS for recommending.]