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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 3675      2022 Jan 21 11.24UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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AT2022UZ (=M31N 2022-01a): SUSPECTED NOVA IN M31

Further to TA E-Circular 3674: K Hornock, Czech Republic relays on ATEL
#15170	the independent discovery of a slowly brightening possible nova in
M31 on a co-added 900-s R-band CCD frame taken on 2022 Jan. 15.717 UT with
the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov. We found the new transient object as a
faint source and postponed its announcement until we had additional images
confirming the ongoing brightening of the object, supporting its possible
nova nature. 

The object was independently discovered on Jan. 16.587 UT by M. Zhang and X.
Gao (and George Carey: Ed) and designated as PNV J00430928+4116013 = AT
2022uz. The object was designated by us as M31N 2022-01a and is located at
R.A. = 0h43m09s.30, Decl. = +41o16'00".9 (equinox 2000.0), which is 281.6"
east and 7.6" south of the centre of M31.
 
The following R-band magnitudes were obtained using the 0.65-m telescope at
Ondrejov: 

2022 Jan. 2.714 UT, [20.3; 15.717, 19.5 &plusmn; 0.2; 19.709, 19.1 &plusmn;
0.15. 

As with all extragalactic novae, follow-up spectroscopic and photometric
observations to confirm the nova's nature and determine its spectroscopic
class and rate of decline (speed class) are encouraged.

Discovery and confirmation image:
http://www.asu.cas.cz/~asteroid/M31N2022-01a.png

Guy N Hurst

