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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2624      2010 Feb 19 23.25UT
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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PROBABLE NOVA IN OPHIUCHUS
Hideo Nishimura of Japan reports on CBET 2176 discovery of a magnitude 9 
possible nova on images of 2010 Feb. 18.845 UT using a Minolta 120-mm 
f/3.5 lens and a Canon EOS 5D Digital camera.

Nakano measured limiting mag 12.7 from Nishimura's JPEG image, mag 9.4 
for the variable, and the following precise position
RA 17h 26m 32.19s DEC -28 49' 36.3" (2000).

Nishimura notes the object is not visible on his frames taken during 
each month in the span 2009 Feb.-Oct. 15 and on 2010 Feb. 2, 4, 5, 7, 
and 13.84 UT (limiting mag 11).  Nakano relays the following position 
end figures from an unfiltered CCD exposure taken by K. Itagaki on Feb. 
19.778 using a 0.30-m f/7.8 reflector at the Takanezawa station, Japan: 
32s.08, 38".5 (magnitude 9.0)
His image is at: http://www.k-itagaki.jp/images/pn-oph.jpg

Nakano further notes that K.Kadota, Japan using a 0.25-m f/5 reflector + 
SBIG ST-9E CCD camera measured mag 8.9 and position end figures 32s.11, 
39".0 from exposures of Feb. 19.825.

Following an appeal by the Central Bureau R. Kaufman, Australia advises 
that a green-channel unfiltered DSLR image taken with a Canon 400D 
camera on Feb. 15.651 and 15.656 shows the probable nova at mag 
approximately mag 9.4 (close to the V band).

S. Kiyota, Japan reports that an image taken remotely on Feb. 19.48 with 
a 30-cm reflector (+ FLI IMG1024 CCD camera Mayhill, New Mexico yields 
position end figures 32s.11, 38".5

Guy M Hurst