Electronic Telegram No. 834 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://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html POSSIBLE NOVA IN SCORPIUS Reports of apparently independent discoveries of a variable star in Scorpius have been received by the Central Bureau. H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, reports the discovery of a new object (mag 9.9) by Yuji Nakamura (Kameyama, Mie, Japan) on two unfiltered CCD images taken on Feb. 4.8624 UT with a 135-mm camera lens, with the position of the variable measured to be R.A. = 16h57m41s.0, Decl. = -32d20'34" (equinox 2000.0, uncertainty about 30"); nothing was detected at this position with the same equipment on Feb. 2.8662 (limiting mag 11.0) or Jan. 29.8669 (limiting mag 12.0). S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports the discovery by Yukio Sakurai (Mito, Ibaraki-ken) of the same star at mag 9.4 on two 10-s CCD exposures taken on Feb. 4.896 using a Fuji FinePix S2 Digital Camera (+ Nikon 180-mm f/2.8 lens), the position measured to be R.A. = 16h57m40s.91, Decl. = -32d20'36".4; nothing is visible on a CCD frame taken by Sakurai on Feb. 2.8. Nakano adds that he has measured the variable's position from one of Sakurai's images, yielding position end figures 41s.24, 36".5. Nakano also writes that K. Kadota has confirmed the variable at mag 8.9 on an unfiltered CCD image taken on Feb. 5.818 with a 0.25-cm f/5 reflector, providing position end figures 41s.20, 35".8. Kadota adds that the closest stars in the USNO-A2.0 catalogue have the following position end figures: 40s.39, 39".5 (red mag 17.4, blue mag 18.6); 40s.93, 44".5 (red mag 15.6, blue mag 17.3). NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars. (C) Copyright 2007 CBAT 2007 February 5 (CBET 834) Daniel W. E. Green