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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2451      2008 May 26 19.15UT
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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NOVA OPHIUCHI 2008
According to IAUC 8947, the following Japanese observers have reported 
independent discoveries on 2008 May 25 of an apparent tenth-magnitude 
nova:  K. Nishiyama and F. Kabashima on 60-s frames taken with a 105-mm 
f/5.6 lens; H. Nishimura and K. Haseda who used 120-mm-f.l. camera 
lenses.
Other confirming reports were received after an appeal by the Central 
Bureau. CCD position measured for the apparent nova by Nishiyama and 
Kabashima (0.40-m f/9.8 reflector) on May 25.750 UT: RA 17h 39m 50.93s 
DEC -23 50' 00.9"(2000).

Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero (Remanzacco, Italy, 0.25-m reflector, 
remotely near Mayhill, New Mexico) have reported to TAHQ:
We can confirm the presence of a relatively bright counterpart at
coordinates:
RA 17h 39m 50.95s DEC -23 50' 00.9" (2000; UCAC-2
catalogue reference stars).
Our multicolour photometry provides the following values: 2008,
May.26.31, B= +11.42, V= +10.45, R= +9.81 (estimated accuracy +/- 0.05 
magnitudes in each colour).
Our image of this transient is available at the following Url:
http://tinyurl.com/3v9cje

Magnitudes for the apparent nova (unfiltered CCD unless otherwise
noted):  1985, [19.5 (Jacques and Pimentel, red Digitized Sky
Survey); 1991 Aug. 11, [20: (Guido and Sostero, U.K. Schmidt Telescope 
red plate); 2008 Mar. 8.82, Apr. 4.77, and May 14.70, [11.5 (Haseda); 
Apr. 27.094, [16.0 (H. Mikuz, Crni Vrh Observatory; red magnitude); May 
14.759, [12 (Nishimura); 19.752 and 20.694, [12.4 (Nishiyama and 
Kabashima); 20.745, [10 (Nishimura); 25.69, 10.3 (Haseda); 25.693 and 
25.695, 10.2 (Nishiyama and Kabashima); 25.706, 10.2 (Nishimura); 
25.750, 10.2 (Nishiyama and Kabashima); 26.30, V = 10.29, B = 11.72 
(Dvorak); 26.31, B = 11.42, V = 10.45, R = 9.81 (Guido and Sostero). 
Visual magnitude estimates by A. Jones (New Zealand):  May 26.40, 10.2; 
26.45, 10.1.

Guy M Hurst