(CCD images by Berto Monard, enlarged slightly elongated stellar profile)
2MASS public images for comparison: [J] [H] [Ks]
(CCD images by Berto Monard, enlarged slightly elongated
stellar profile)
We have received the following report from William Liller on the discovery of a possible nova in the LMC.
Hola everyone -
On five (5) exposures ranging from 45 to 75 seconds (20-cm Schmidt, TP film, no filter) taken between U.T June 17.9739 and 17.9829, I found a new stellar object in the LMC at magnitude 11.0. The candidate nova is at (2000) RA = 5h 08.4m, Dec = -68d 26.2'. No star brighter than magnitude 14 was seen on the most recent exposures taken at U.T. June 2.970.
Tonight I will try to get an improved position and, possibly, a spectrum. It should be noted, however, that at end of evening twilight here in Vina del Mar, the altitude of the star is only 23 degrees and directly over the nearby city of Valparaiso. At the beginning of dawn, the altitude is 38 degrees (and in trees for me).
Please help with observations if you can.
All the best to all, Bill/William Liller
Possible identification of the nova suspect:
Unfiltered CCD images taken this morning 20 June 2003 (under not so good conditions) at the Bronberg Observatory, Pretoria, South Africa, confirm the presence of a bright or brightened star near the reported position.
the observation: Nova suspect 20030620.167 11.4CR Tycho2 reference
Astrometry (vs the Tycho frame) on the images give a position (2000) 05 08 25.59 -68 26 22.3 for the nova suspect.
These coordinates coincide (probably within the astrometric measurement uncertainty) with an existing star 1UCAC1 2136330 with (2000) position 05 08 25.46 -68 26 22.3 with UCAC magnitude 13.81O
USNO-A2.0 gives coordinates (2000) 05 08 25.42 -68 26 22.4 and magnitudes 16.9B and 14.6R
The close match to the measured position and the probable variability of this star and its most probable red colour makes this star the likely counterpart of the detection.
Measurements in two colour bands can confirm the redness and this identification with certainty... or prove the existence of a nova.
Regards,
Berto Monard Bronberg Observatory South Africa(vsnet-discovery-nova 202)
>> 5 08 25.59 -68 26 22.3 >> for the nova suspect.A quick look in VizieR shows other IDs, notably in DENIS, where it is given with magnitudes I = 13.2, and J-K = 0.7; and 2MASS where it is given with J = 12.4 and J-Ks = 0.6. Given the location, the colors suggest either a foreground early-K giant (i.e. in the Milky Way), or a somewhat hotter supergiant, say G8Ia, in the LMC. The non-outburst magnitudes suggest Mv around -4 if it's in the LMC, which is consistent with the G-supergiant interpretation. The near-zero proper motion suggests it cannot be a nearby K/M dwarf.
Given that it appears at V ~14-15 in the various survey catalogues, clearly something unusual is going on.
I note that there is evidently MACHO data within an arcminute or two, and doubtless ASAS data as well. Presumably the relevant databases could be queried to see what's been happening.
\Brian
According to ASAS-3, the object was not observed in outburst, at least never as bright as in the present magnitude. The most recent observation was on May 30.
Regards, Taichi Kato(vsnet-discovery-nova 204)
It seems likely that this star corresponds to ASAS3 050826-6826.4 which has V = 14.23+/-0.15. The range is from about 13.95 to 14.6, but how much of this is noise at the limit of the ASAS survey rather than variation is not clear.
Regards,
Chris Lloyd
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