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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1636      2001 May 19 21.14UT
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             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                    http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer
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NOVA AQUILAE 2001 (=TAV J1907+117)
Following an e-mail to Mark Kidger, he kindly put us in touch
with Chris Benn, Manager of the William Herschel Telescope. A
extensive telephone debate took place on the evening of May 17
as to the chances the object found by Mike Collins could be a nova.
It was decided to obtain a spectrum and a further message arrived
from Chris on the morning of May 18 indicating that a preliminary
inspection of the spectrum confirmed the characteristics of a
nova. Chris submitted the graphic file of the spectrum and a
preliminary analysis to the editor today, May 19, and the
report was relayed to Brian Marsden at the Central Bureau.
The following IAUC has now been issued:

C. R. Benn, M. Vigotti and J. Holt, Instituto de Astrofisica de
Canarias, write that a spectrum of the object in Aquila (IAUC
7627), obtained with the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope (IDS
spectrograph, resolution 1 nm) on May 18.118 UT, is clearly that of
a nova, with strong Halpha, Hbeta, Hgamma and the usual He and Fe
lines.  The signal-to-noise on the spectrum is about 100 per pixel
step in wavelength.
O. Shemmer, Department of Astrophysics, Tev-Aviv University,
reports that a spectrum (range 400-780 nm) obtained using the Wise
Observatory 1-m telescope (+FOSC spectrograph) on May 18.88 UT
shows several characteristic nova features, such as strong Balmer
lines with a mean FWHM of 1100 km/s, He I emission lines at 706.5,
667.8 and 587.6 nm; also several strong Fe II emission lines, such
as 492.3 and 501.8 nm.  The Halpha/Hbeta flux ratio is 14.  A steep
red continuum was also noted.
K. Takamizawa, Saku-machi, Nagano prefecture, communicates the
following magnitude information from his photographic patrol films:
2000 Oct. 27.42 UT, [15.1; 2001 Feb. 20.79, [13.1; 26.79, 13.2;
Mar. 18.72, 13.0; 21.77, 12.7; 31.74, 12.7; Apr. 26.68, 12.8;
May 12.59, 10.8; 16.63, 13.0.
M. Uemura and T. Kato, Kyoto University; and H. Yamaoka, Kyushu
University, write that unfiltered CCD images obtained with the
Kyoto 0.25-m telescope on May 17.79 showed the object at mag about
11.8 (GSC system) in the position R.A. = 19h07m28s.42,
Decl. = +11o44'45".8 (equinox 2000.0; GSC-ACT, epoch 1983.609,
fitting error 0".3).  A faint star exists on the digital sky survey
(both generations, R and Bj) images within 0".5 of the above
position.  Its magnitude, compared with USNO A2.0 stars, is r about
18.7 and b about 19.6."                               IAUC 7628

Editor: Our sincere congratulations to Mike Collins for this very
well deserved success after commencing his photographic patrol
in 1988 during which time he has also found numerous variable
stars.

This is the fifth nova found by a member of the UK Nova/Supernova
Patrol:
1977 January   7 Nova Sagittae 1977 visually by John Hosty
1986 November 22 Nova Centauri 1986 photographically Rob McNaught
1987 May      18 Nova Sagittarii 1987 photographically Rob McNaught
1988 March    21 Nova Andromedae 1988 photographically Dave McAdam
2001 May      11 Nova Aquilae 2001  photographically Mike Collins

Guy M Hurst