1217-59 Nova Crux 2003 - Possible Nova In Crux

The IAU CBAT has announced (IAUC No. 8184) a possible nova in Crux discovered by Velo Tabur of Wanniassa, A.C.T., Australia. It has been optically confirmed by L.A.G. (Berto) Monard, Pretoria, South Africa. There has been no spectroscopic confirmation to date. Tabur and Monard both report nothing appears at this position on Palomar survey plates; Tabur's images back to January 2000 also show nothing.

R.A. (2000): 12h 23m 16.07s Decl. (2000): -60o 22' 34.2"

Current observations of N CRU 03:

1217-59 N CRU 03 11.9:CR AUG 18 UT Tabur
1217-59 N CRU 03 10.2 CR AUG 20.486 Tabur (discovery image, unfiltered CCD with R magnitudes)
1217-59 N CRU 03 10.2 CR AUG 20.490 Tabur (discovery image)
1217-59 N CRU 03 9.2:CR AUG 21.5 Tabur (through clouds, very uncertain)
1217-59 N CRU 03 9.2 CR AUG 21.71 Monard (R magnitudes from ACAC1)

AAVSO finder charts may be found at this URL:

http://www.aavso.org/cgi-bin/searchcharts3.pl?name=n%20cru%2003

Please observe this possible nova and report your observations to AAVSO, making sure to indicate which comparison stars you used.

Congratulations to Velo on his discovery!

Good observing,

Janet A. Mattei, Director
Elizabeth O. Waagen, Senior Technical Assistant