Electronic Telegram No. 1491 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 NEW VARIABLE IN ANDROMEDA H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, reported the discovery by K. Itagaki (Yamagata, Japan) of a possible nova on a CCD image taken on Sept. 1.6 UT with a 0.21-m reflector in the course of his sky survey, with a confirming unfiltered CCD image taken on Sept. 1.603 with a 0.60-m reflector that yields mag about 12.7 and the following precise position: R.A. = 2h00m25s.40, Decl. = +44d10'18".7 (equinox 2000.0). A patrol image from Jan. 26.532 shows nothing brighter than mag 17.5 at this position; there is a very faint star (red mag 20.4, blue mag 21.2) in the GSC 2.3 catalogue with position end figures 25s.44, 19".1. Following posting on the Central Bureau's unconfirmed-objects webpage, several other observers have reported confirming observations of this variable star. D. D. Balam, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, writes that the variable appeared with the following magnitude and colors from SDSS-filtered observations obtained on Sept. 2.27 UT with the 1.82-m Plaskett telescope of the National Research Council of Canada: g = 12.91 (0.03), u-g = -0.20 (0.08), g-r = -0.11 (0.07). Balam measures position end figures 25s.45, 18".4, and he adds that there is nothing visible at the position of the variable on the Palomar Sky Surveys (blue and red plates). S. Korotkiy, Moscow; and T. Kryachko and B. Satovskiy, Kazan State University (KSU), report mag approximately 12.4 from an unfiltered 300-s CCD image taken on Sept. 1.834 UT with a 8.0-cm f/7.5 ED refractor (+ SBIG ST-2000XM camera) at KSU's Astrotel Observatory (Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia). They provide position end figures 25s.43, 18".7 (each +/- 0".1); comparison with a Palomar Oschin Schmidt telescope plate (via Digitized Sky Survey) obtained on 1992 Dec. 22 shows an apparent star at this position with blue mag about 20.5. Their image is posted at the following website URL: http://www.astroalert.su/files/novaand2008.jpg. Photometry of the variable obtained by T. Kryachko, S. Korotkiy, D. Denisenko, and B. Satovskiy with the same 8.0-cm refractor during Sept. 1.843-1.934 clearly shows a humped light curve with an amplitude of 0.13 mag and a period of 0.055(1) day, which is typical for U Gem/WZ Sge-type cataclysmic variables. Korotkiy also forwards the following additional CCD magnitudes (unfiltered unless otherwise noted) and position end figures for the new variable from other observers in Belarus and Russia: Sept. 1.821, 12.5, 25s.43, 19".0 (S. Shurpakov, Baran, Belarus, 19.0-cm f/5 reflector + Artemis 285 CCD camera); 1.836, B = 12.9, V = 13.0, R = 13.3, 25s.42, 18".4 (M. Andreev, Terskol, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, 28.0-cm f/6.8 Celestron 11 NexStar GPS + Apogee 47E Alta CCD camera); 1.842, 12.2, 25s.63 +/- 0".34, 17".45 +/- 0".27 (I. Chekalin, Taganrog, Russia, 18.0-cm f/4 reflector + Canon 350Da DSLR camera); 1.846, 12.3, 25s.39, 18".7 (V. Nevskiy, Vitebsk, Belarus, 30.0-cm f/5 reflector + QHY-6 CCD camera). E. Guido, G. Sostero, and P. Camilleri obtained unfiltered CCD images of the new variable star on Sept. 2.31 remotely through a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., yielding position end figures 25s.42, 18".5 and magnitude 12.4. S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, forwards the following position end figures measured by K. Nishiyama (Kurume, Fukuoka-ken) and F. Kabashima (Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken) from four unfiltered 20-s CCD frames taken around Sept. 2.590 UT using a 0.40-m f/9.8 reflector: 25s.41, 18".6 (mag 13.2). P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany, reports visual mag 12.6 on Sept. 2.144 UT. NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars. (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT 2008 September 2 (CBET 1491) Daniel W. E. Green