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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1901      2003 Aug 01 17.00UT
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.theastronomer.org
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V2573 OPHIUCHI = NOVA OPHIUCHI 2003
A message was received on July 17 from VSNET advising that Akira
Takao (Kitakyushu, Japan) had detected a new object on two
unfiltered CCD images taken on July 10 and 16. The reality of the
object was confirmed on multiple CCD images taken with different
image centres.  Takao's CCD observations follow:
2003 Apr 18.812UT, <11.6; July 10.598, 11.4, 16.523, 11.2  
The reported position is:
RA 17h 19m 14.4s DEC -27 22' 37" (2000)

Berto Monard, South Africa, reported that the object appeared at
mag 10.4 on an unfiltered CCD image taken on July 17.821 and
astrometry provided end figures: 14s.10, 35".4. 

V. Tabur, Australian Capital Territory, reports an independent
discovery of this variable star on unfiltered CCD images obtained
with a 140-mm f/2.8 telephoto lens but noted its presence on
several earlier images: 2003 Mar. 21.600, 12.9; Apr. 5.652, 13.1;
29.579, 13.2; May 4.566, 13.1; 10.538, 13.1; 22.667, 13.0; 29.595,
12.6; June 16.534, 10.1; July 5.574, 9.8.

According to IAUC 8166, M. Della Valle, Arcetri Astrophysical
Observatory, Florence; and E. Mason, L. Pasquini, and J. Prichard,
European Southern Observatory, write:  "Preliminary analysis of a
spectrum (range 380-900 nm, resolution 48000), obtained on July
18.2 UT at La Silla with the 2.2-m telescope (+ Fiber-fed Extended
Range Optical Spectrograph), shows the new object to be a nova
caught during its early decline.

N. N. Samus, Institute of Astronomy, Moscow, advises that
the designation V2573 Oph has been given to this object.

Guy M Hurst