March 27, 2012: A possible nova in the LMC [Nova LMC 2012] discovered at unfiltered magnitude 10.7 on 2012 March 26.397 UT (name of discoverer not given) was reported on the IAU CBAT Transient Objects Confirmation Page (TOCP). Spectra indicate the object may be a recurrent nova.
J. Hambsch reports that as of March 28.04 UT, the object appears to be fading fast and is at least one magnitude fainter than 24 hours ago.
Coordinates (2000.0):
RA 04 54 56.81 Dec -70 26 56.4 (T. Bohlsen, Armidale, NSW, Australia)
RA 04 54 57.1 +/-0.2 Dec -70 26 56.2 +/-0.3 (J. Hambsch, Mol, Belgium)
Spectra by Fred Walter (SUNY Stony Brook) on 2012 March 26.9972 UT indicate the object to be a nova very similar to U Sco very early in outburst. Thus, the object appears to be a recurrent nova.
J. L. Prieto (Princeton University, ATEL #4002) reports that a spectrum obtained on 2012 March 27.0 UT using the du Pont 2.5-m telescope at Las Campanas Observatory looks similar to the earliest spectrum of LMC 1990 No. 1 (Williams et al. 1991, ApJ, 376, 721).
Observations reported to the AAVSO include:
Mar. 27.4416 UT, 12.54 B (T. Bohlsen, Armidale, NSW, Australia);
27.4416, 12.66 V (Bohlsen);
27.4416, 11.84 R (Bohlsen);
27.4416, 11.61 I (Bohlsen);
Charts: A sequence is available that utilizes AAVSO All-Sky Photometric Survey (APASS) data and ranges from 9.0 to 16.0. Charts may be plotted using the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter (VSP) at http://www.aavso.org/vsp.
Until an official name is assigned, please report observations to the AAVSO International Database as TCP J04550000-7027150.
This AAVSO Special Notice was compiled by Elizabeth O. Waagen.
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