Special Notice #273: Possible Nova in Ophiuchus = PNV J17260708-2551454

March 28, 2012:  A possible nova in Ophiuchus was announced on the IAU CBAT Transient Objects Confirmation Page (TOCP) [1] page with the name PNV J17260708-2551454. It was discovered by H. Nishimura (Shizuoka-ken, Japan) at unfiltered magnitude 12.1 on 2012 March 25.789 UT on three frames using Canon 200-mm f/3.2 lens + Canon EOS 5D Digital Camera. Spectra suggest that the object is an Fe II-type classical nova.

Coordinates: 17 26 07.01  -25 51 42.69 (J2000.0)
T. Krajci, from a single R filtered image with AAVSONet telescope K35 (1.25 arcsec/pixel, V=12) at Astrokolkhoz, Cloudcroft, NM;
RA 17 26 07.02, Dec -25 51 42.65 (S. Kiyota, Tsukuba, Japan, via TOCP);
RA 17 26 07.02 Dec -25 51 42.5 (T. Yusa, Osaki, Japan, via TOCP);

Nishimura confirmed the object on images taken on 2012 Mar. 26.796 UT at magnitude 12.3. The object was also confirmed by several other individuals, including (from TOCP page):
S. Kiyota, Mar. 27.4208 UT (Tsukuba, Japan, images at http://meineko.sakura.ne.jp/ccd/PNV_J17260708-2551454-120327.jpg [2]);
T. Yusa, Mar. 27.45902 UT (Osaki, Japan, image at: http://space.geocities.jp/yusastar77/supernova/PNinOph_120327.htm [3]);
E. Guido, A. Tripp, N. Howes, and G. Sostero (via vsnet-alert 14387), Mar. 27.4851 UT, remotely through the 0.10-m f/5 reflector + CCD at Mayhill Station, NM (Remanzacco Observatory, Italy, image and animation at http://remanzacco.blogspot.com [4]);

Spectra obtained by A. Arai and M. Isogai (KAO, Kyoto Sangyo University) on 2012 Mar. 27.74 UT using the 1.3-m Araki telescope at the Koyama Astronomical Observatory (KAO) suggest that the object is an Fe II-type classical nova.

Visual and CCD observations reported via the TOCP include:
Mar. 20.784 UT, <13.0 (T. Kojima, Gunma-ken, Japan, Canon EOS 40D + 150-mm f/2.8 lens);
24.785, 12.2 (Kojima);
25.758, 12.2 (Kojima);
26.752, 12.7 (STL-6303E and 100mm lens, A. Takao, Kitakyushu, Japan);
27.4, 13.27 B (S. Kiyota, Tsukuba, Japan);
27.4, 12.37 V (Kiyota);
27.4, 11.88 Rc (Kiyota);
27.4, 11.11 Ic (Kiyota);
27.45902, 12.6 unfiltered (T. Yusa, Osaki, Japan, remotely using a 0.25-m f/3.4 hyperbolic astrograph + unfiltered CCD (SBIG ST-10XME) at the RAS Observatory near Mayhill, NM, USA);

Observations may be accessed from the AAVSO website:
viewed (http://www.aavso.org/ql [5]), plotted (http://www.aavso.org/lcg [6]), or downloaded (http://www.aavso.org/data-download [7]).

Charts may be plotted using the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter (VSP) at http://www.aavso.org/vsp [8].

Until an official name is announced, please report observations to the AAVSO International Database as PNV J17260708-2551454.

Congratulations to H. Nishimura on his discovery!

This AAVSO Special Notice was compiled by Elizabeth O. Waagen.

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