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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2757      2011 Aug 09 13.26UT
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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M31N 2011-06d (= PNV J00430685+4115308
Y. Cao, Caltech et. al., report on behalf of the Palomar Transient 
Factory via The Astronomer's Telegram 3533 that a spectrum of the recent 
nova candidate M31N 2011-06d (= PNV J00430685+4115308 on CBAT/TOCP) was 
obtained on 2011 July 26 with the Double Spectrograph mounted on the 
Palomar 200-inch Hale telescope. The phase of the transient was about 18 
days after its maximum light. The spectrum exhibits prominent Balmer 
emission lines (FWHM Halpha ~ 1,700 km/s), OI 8446 and 7773 lines as 
well as Fe II emission lines. This confirms that M31N 2011-06d is a 
classical nova and a member of the Fe II spectroscopic class. This nova 
is internally designated as PTF11hfs.

POSSIBLE NOVA IN LUPUS
Astronomers at Stony Brook University report on The Astronomer's 
Telegram 3536 that a spectrum of the possible nova reported by us on 
E-Circular 2756 has been obtained on 2011 Aug 9 at 00h19mUT. This was 
obtained with the SMARTS 1.5m RC spectrograph at Cerro Tololo and 
confirms that the eruptive object in Lupus is an Fe II nova near 
maximum. The spectrum (3700-5400A at 4.1 A resolution) shows the Balmer 
lines of hydrogen (H-beta through H-10), and Fe II multiplet 42, in 
emission with P Cygni absorption components at a velocity of about -1000 
km/s. The equivalent width of H-beta is about -130 A.

Mati Morel, Variable Stars South relays that Roy Axelsen has secured an 
image of the area with  a Canon EOS 500D camera through an Orion ED80 
refractor, 600mm focal length, 15 second exposure at 1600 ISO, at 
approximately 11:13 UT on 2011 August 8, from Chapel Hill, Queensland.

 From examining the image an improved position for the possible nova:
(J2000)  14h54m23.23s  +/-0.03s   -55o05'11.1" +/-2"

I note that the nearest stars to this position in the USNO-B1.0 
catalogue are :
B1.0  0349-0472601   (J2000) 14 54 22.92 -55 05 10.9    Ep. 1984.1   B2 
=18.56 R2 =18.16
B1.0  0349-0472602   (J2000) 14 54 22.95 -55 05 09.6    Ep. 1985.9   B2 
=19.56 R2 = 18.11
However, the DSS red plate shows only one (faint) object at the
position of the B1.0 stars.

Guy M Hurst