THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VARIABLE STAR OBSERVERS 25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA INTERNET: aavso@aavso.org Tel. 617-354-0484 FAX 617-354-0665 AAVSO ALERT NOTICE 259 (May 25, 1999) 1040-51 NOVA VELORUM 1999 We have been informed by the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (IAU Circular 7176) of the independent visual discovery of a very bright nova in Vela by Peter Williams, Heathcote, New South Wales, Australia, on May 22.396 UT, and by Alan C. Gilmore, Mount John University Observatory, New Zealand, on May 22.451. Williams, whose discovery was reported via S. Lee and A. Pearce, observed the nova at magnitude 3.1. Gilmore used the Mount John 0.6-m reflector and HR 4167 = p Vel as comparison star to obtain the following photometric V observations: May 22.488, 2.88; 22.574, 2.85; 22.599, 2.84; 22.635, 2.80. The equinox 2000 position of N Vel 99 was reported by G. J. Garradd, Loomberah, NSW, Australia, (IAU Circular 7177) as: R.A. = 10h 44m 48.39s Decl. = -52 degrees 25' 30.7" Spectroscopic confirmation was obtained by Lewis, Colless, Cannon, Bridges, and Lee, using the Anglo-Australian Telescope + fiber spectrograph, and by K. R. Pollard and J. A. McSaveney, using the Mount John 1-m telescope (IAU Circular 7176). A. Pearce, Nedlands, W. Australia, reported that no obvious object appears at the location of the nova on the Digital Sky Survey (IAU Circular 7176). P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany, reported that the USNO-A2.0 catalogue shows a magnitude-16.4 blue star very close to the position of the nova (IAU Circular 7177). Additional observations of N Vel 99 reported to the AAVSO include (all South American observations except those by J. Garcia and F. Garcia sent by T. Napoleao): May 20.5 UT, <5.1, F. Farrell, Christies Beach, S. Australia; 22.423, 3.0, A. Pearce, Nedlands, W. Australia; 22.435, 3.0, Pearce; 22.446, 3.0, Pearce; 22.460, 3.0, Pearce; 22.469, 3.0, Pearce; 22.4880, 3.0, P. Williams, Heathcote, NSW, Australia; 22.4880, 3.0, Williams; 22.490, 3.0, Pearce; 22.519, 3.0, Pearce; 22.535, 2.9, Pearce; 22.563, 2.9, Pearce; 22.582, 2.9, Pearce; 22.608, 2.9, Pearce; 22.625, 2.9, Farrell; 22.637, 2.9, Pearce; 22.652, 2.8, Pearce; 22.692, 2.9, Pearce; 22.720, 2.9, Pearce; 22.770, 3.1, D. Overbeek, Edenvale, S. Africa; 22.8958, 3.0, R. Levai, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 22.9375, 2.7, A. Padilla Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 22.9375, 2.9, Levai; 22.9479, 3.1, T. Napoleao, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 22.9548, 3.1, F. Funari, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 22.9792, 2.7, K. Soares, P. Prudente, Brazil; 22.9792, 2.8, Padilla Filho; 22.985, 2.8, H. Vital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 22.9965, 2.5, Napoleao; 23.0069, 2.8, M. Mendes, Dois Corregos, Brazil; 23.011, 2.5, Vital; 23.0208, 2.8, Padilla Filho; 23.0243, 2.8, C. Meluzzi, Goias, Brazil; 23.033, 2.8, Vital; 23.038, 2.9, Vital; 23.047, 3.0, Vital; 23.054, 2.9, Vital; 23.0680, 2.9, A. Silva Barros, Maceio, Brazil; 23.0694, 2.8, Napoleao; 23.1042, 2.8, Vital; 23.1111, 2.9, Napoleao; 23.1236, 2.9, Vital; 23.1562, 2.9, Napoleao; 23.240, 2.7, DAH H. Dahle, Honolulu, HI (sent by B. Granslo); 23.2465, 2.9, J. Garcia, San Rafael, Argentina; 23.258, 2.8, N. Biver, Mauna Kea, HI (sent by B. Granslo); 23.2757, 2.9, J. Garcia; 23.3909, 2.8, Williams; 23.416, 2.5, Farrell; 23.4208, 2.8, Williams; 23.431, 2.9, Pearce; 23.4458, 2.8, Williams; 23.482, 2.7, Pearce; 23.508, 2.6, Pearce; 23.551, 2.6, Pearce; 23.616, 2.7, Pearce; 23.632, 2.6, M. Mattiazzo, Adelaide, S. Australia; 23.8924, 2.8, A. Alves, Florianopolis, Brazil; 23.8958, 3.0, Vital; 23.8993, 2.9, Meluzzi; 23.9000, 2.7, W. Souza, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 23.9167, 2.9, Napoleao; 23.921, 2.9, J. de Souza Aguiar, Campinas, Brazil; 23.9305, 3.0, Mendes; 23.9305, 2.9, Soares; 23.962, 3.0, Padilla Filho; 23.976, 3.0, Vital; 24.0000, 3.0, M. Bain, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 24.004, 2.9, Alves; 24.0187, 2.8, C. Brasil, Jr., Sao Paulo, Brazil; 24.0200, 3.0, Padilla Filho; 24.0451, 3.0, Napoleao; 24.0625, 2.8, Funari; 24.0729, 3.0, Mendes; 24.0800, 3.1, P. Reis Fernandes, Brasilia, Brazil; 24.087, 3.0, Vital; 24.1076, 3.1, S. Lomonaco, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 24.1180, 3.0, Soares; 24.1345, 3.0, Alves; 24.2222, 3.1, Mendes; 24.435, 3.4, Pearce; 24.477, 3.4, Pearce; 24.517, 3.4, Pearce; 24.569, 3.4, Pearce; 24.8800, 3.6, Padilla Filho; 24.8993, 3.6, Vital; 24.9000, 3.5, Souza; 24.9167, 3.5, Napoleao; 24.9208, 3.7, R. Salvo, Montevideo, Uruguay; 24.9270, 3.5, Padilla Filho; 24.9389, 3.6, Silva Barros; 24.9618, 3.1, J. Garcia; 24.9639, 3.5, C. Colesanti, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 24.9639, 3.7, Vital; 24.9826, 3.5, Mendes; 24.9861, 3.5, R. Alencar Caldas, Maceio, Brazil; 24.9896, 3.5, Napoleao; 25.0000, 3.5, Souza; 25.0000, 3.6, Lomonaco; 25.0243, 3.6, Vital; 25.0278, 3.5, Alves; 25.0354, 3.1, F. Garcia, Rama Caida, Argentina; 25.0375, 3.5, Silva Barros; 25.0389, 3.0, F. Garcia; 25.041, 3.5, de Souza Aguiar; 25.0760, 3.6, Soares; 25.1458, 3.5, Alves; 25.1667, 3.8, J. Garcia; 25.2049, 3.5, J. Garcia; 25.2290, 3.5, J. Garcia; 25.4236, 3.6, R. Stubbings, Drouin, Victoria, Australia. Accompanying is an AAVSO "aa" scale preliminary chart prepared by C. Scovil. Please use this chart to observe the nova, and report your observations of 1040-51 N Vel 99 to AAVSO Headquarters, being sure to indicate which comparison stars you used to make your observations. Congratulations to Peter and Alan on their independent, visual discoveries! CHARTS AVAILABLE ON AAVSO WEB AND FTP SITES Electronic copies of the N Vel 99 chart mentioned in this Alert Notice are available through our web site at the following address: http://www.aavso.org The chart may also be obtained directly from our FTP site: ftp.aavso.org (198.116.78.5), in /alerts/alert259 The answering machine at AAVSO Headquarters is on nights and weekends for your convenience. Please call our charge-free number (888-802-STAR = 888-802-7827) to report your observations. We also encourage observers to send observations by fax to 617-354-0665 or by e-mail through the Internet to observations@aavso.org. If you need to change the email address this Alert Notice is sent to, or if you would like to begin or stop receiving the Alert Notice by email, please visit the following URL: http://www.aavso.org/mailinglists.stm Many thanks for your valuable astronomical contributions and your efforts. Good observing! Elizabeth O. Waagen, Senior Technical Assistant on behalf of Janet A. Mattei, Director