Nova
Aquila'01 Nova
Sct 03 my
spectro page Rainbow
Optic grating
AAVSO link Megastar chart #1
#2
precise position R.A. = 18h 10m 10.42s, Decl. = - 27o 45' 35.2" (equinox 2000.0)
AAVSO
Newsflash Special Notice (September 19, 2003) 1803-27
N SGR 03#2
We
have been informed by the IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
(IAU Circular 8204) of the discovery of a nova in Sagittarius by Nicholas
Brown, Quinns Rocks, W. Australia, at magnitude 9.2 on T-Max films taken
on September 17.52 UT using a 135-mm f/2 camera lens. Brown estimated it
at visual magnitude 8.8 on Sep. 18.43; nothing was visible to magnitude
11.0 on his films from Sep. 14.55. ...... Spectra by D. West, Mulvane,
KS (Sep. 19.0847), and by Liller (Sep. 19.104) showed H-alpha in emission,
and spectra by R. Guch, E. Polomski, C.E. Woodward, University of Minnesota;
R.M. Wagner, LBT Observatory; and S. Starrfield, Arizona State University
(Sep. 19.10), confirm the object as a Fe-II-class nova early in decline.
Brown notes nova close to GSC 6851:1342 (listed as mag 11.9).
2003 Sept 28/29: First WPO spectrum of the nova located a few degrees above the SSW horizon after dusk - the blue end of the spectrum curved upwards through atmospheric refraction. Ha and Hb in emission. The nova seems elongated with a fainter star abutting - see Nick Brown's note. Better S/N ratio and resolution the following evening Sept 29.
text & images copyright - Maurice Gavin - WPO - 2003