APPARENT NOVA IN M31: M31N 2010-12b
Several independent reports of a discovery of an apparent nova in M31
— designated M31N 2010-12b — have been received, as detailed below.
M. Koishikawa, Sendai Astronomical Observatory, reports that he found
the new object on a CCD image taken with a 1.3-m f/4.85 reflector on Dec.
10.532 UT.
W. Pietsch, M. Henze, and V. Burwitz, Max-Planck-Institut fuer
Extraterrestrische Physik); A. Kaur and D. H. Hartmann, Clemson University;
and P. Milne and G. Williams, University of Arizona, report the discovery of
M31N 2010-12b on twelve stacked, 60-s R-band CCD images obtained with the
robotic 60-cm telescope (+ E2V CCD camera) of the Livermore Optical Transient
Imaging System (Super-LOTIS), located at Steward Observatory on Kitt Peak, on
Dec. 11.095 UT; they measure the new object to be 149″ west and 672″ north of
the center of M31.
Koichi Nishiyama (Kurume, Japan) and Fujio Kabashima (Miyaki, Japan)
report their discovery of M31N 2010-12b on ten 40-s unfiltered CCD frames
(limiting magnitude 19.8) taken around Dec. 11.468 UT using a Meade
200R 0.40-m f/9.8 reflector (+ SBIG STL1001E camera). The new object is
lcated 149″ west and 672″ north of the center of the galaxy M31.
Guoyou Sun (Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China) and Xing Gao (Urumqi, Xinjiang,
China) report their discovery of M31N 2010-12b at mag approximately 17.7 on
several unfiltered 60-s survey CCD images (limiting mag about 19.0) taken by
Xing Gao in the course of the Xingming Observatory Sky Survey at Mt. Nanshan
around Dec. 11.517 UT using a Celestron C14 0.36-m f/6.9 Schmidt-Cassegrain
telescope.
Gao found a pre-discovery from Dec. 10.515. T. Yusa, Osaki, Japan, also
reports a pre-discovery unfiltered CCD image (from twelve co-added 90-s images;
limiting magnitude 19.0) of M31N 2010-12b on Dec. 10.359 using a 0.30-m f/7
Cassegrain telescope (+ SBIG STL-1001E) at the Osaki Lifelong Learning Center.
Yusa’s image is posted at the following website URL:
http://space.geocities.jp/yusastar77/PNinM31_101210.htm.
Precise astrometric data for M31N 2010-12b are tabulated below:
2010 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Observers
Dec. 10.359 0 42 31.07 +41 27 20.0 16.7 Yusa
Dec. 10.515 0 42 31.07 +41 27 20.4 16.1 Gao
Dec. 10.532 0 42 30.88 +41 27 21.7 16.0 Koishikawa
Dec. 11.095 0 42 31.08 +41 27 20.3 16.6 Pietsch et al.
Dec. 11.468 0 42 31.06 +41 27 20.5 17.4 Nishiyama, Kabashima
Dec. 11.517 0 42 31.07 +41 27 20.4 17.7 Gao
Additional limiting magnitudes for M31N 2010-12b: 1986 Nov. 27, [18.9
(Digitized Sky Survey; red plate; via Nishiyama and Kabashima); 1988 Nov. 27,
[20.8 (DSS; red plate; via Sun and Gao); 1993 Oct. 21, [18.5 (DSS; infrared
plate via Nishiyama and Kabashima); 2010 Dec. 5.213 UT, [19.0 (Pietsch et
al.; R-band); 5.460, [20.0 (Nishiyama and Kabashima); 6.52, [19.0 (Sun and
Gao); 8.376, [19.0 (Yusa); 8.508, [19 (Koishikawa); 9.464, [19.9 (Nishiyama
