Electronic Telegram No. 1342
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
CBAT@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
URL http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html


NOVA SAGITTARII 2008
     S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports the discovery of a possible nova
(mag 8.4) on two 30-s unfiltered CCD survey frames taken on Apr. 18.784 UT
by K. Nishiyama (Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan) and F. Kabashima (Miyaki-cho,
Saga-ken, Japan) using a 105-mm f/5.6 camera lens (limiting mag about 12.6).
An unfiltered CCD image taken with a 0.40-m f/9.8 reflector on Apr. 18.809
yields mag 8.4 and the following precise position for the new object:  R.A.
= 18h05m58s.88, Decl. = -27o13'56".0 (equinox 2000.0).  Nothing is visible
at this position on their past survey frames taken on Apr. 13.765 (limiting
mag 12.2) and 14.805 (limiting mag 12.8) using the 105-mm f/5.6 patrol
camera or on the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS).  A nearby USNO-B1.0 star has
I mag 18.3 and position end figures 58s.38, 55".9.
     Following posting on the Central Bureau's unconfirmed-objects webpage,
S. Dvorak, Clermont, FL, U.S.A., writes that his CCD exposures taken with
a 0.25-m Meade LX200 reflector (+ ST-9XE camera) on Apr. 19.36 yield mag
V = 9.28 and B = 9.20 and position end figures 58s.85, 57".0 for the new
variable.  He adds that nothing appears at this position on a DSS red image
from 1991, noting that nearby stars are obviously visible therein that
have USNO-B1.0 red magnitudes around 20; he also remarks that a couple of
stars at red mag about 15 nicely bracket the apparent nova.  Additionally,
E. Guido and G. Sostero (Remanzacco, Italy) report that their confirming
CCD images taken remotely with a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM,
on Apr. 19.39 show the new object at position figures 58s.90, 56".3 and
with magnitudes B = 9.84, V = 8.90, and R = 8.30 (uncertainty +/- 0.05
mag); comparison with a U.K. Schmidt red plate obtained on 1996 Sept. 8
shows nothing at this position (limiting magnitude near 20).  Their image
is posted at the following website URL:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w189/walcom77/Possible_Nova_Sgr.jpg


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT
2008 April 19                    (CBET 1342)              Daniel W. E. Green