Astroblog: Bright Potential Nova in Sagittarius!

Monday, March 16, 2015

Bright Potential Nova in Sagittarius!

Chart of the location of the bright potential nova recently reported in Sagittarius as seen at around 3:00 am local daylight saving time from the southern hemisphere. The location of the nova is indicated by the yellow cross. The nova should be readily recognisable in the field of relatively dimmer stars. Click to embiggen.

A bright, and I mean REALLY bright, possible nova, last reported magnitude 5.3, has been reported in Sagittarius.

Potential nova PNV J18365700-2855420's location is R.A. 18 36 57.00 Decl. -28 55 42.0 (J2000.0). The CBAT report page is here
http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unconf/followups/J18365700-2855420.html

It should be reasonably easy to see as a dim star in the middle of the "lid" of the teapot asterism in Sagittarius (but brighter than anything close by). The brightest star flare ups (it may not be a nova but something else) since 2013, unfortunately it is only visible early in the morning from around 3 am daylight saving time on until twilight.

Printable black and white chart of the location of the bright nova suitable for binoculars. The chart show stars down to magnitude 8, the last magnitude estimate of the nova was 5.3 (visual threshold is magnitude 6). The nova should be readily recognisable in the field of relatively dimmer stars. Click to embiggen and print.

Labels: binocular, nova, unaided eye