Electronic Telegram No. 1653
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 IN M81
     K. Hornoch and P. Sedinova, Ondrejov Observatory, report the discovery
of an apparent nova on a co-added 1800-s unfiltered CCD frame taken with
the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov on 2008 Dec. 29.202 UT; the new object
is well visible on single 90-s images used for the co-added image, and is
located at R.A. = 9h55m38s.30, Decl. = +69o01'43".2 (equinox 2000.0), which
is 27".5 east and 131".9 south of the center of M81.  Available unfiltered
magnitudes (using R-band magnitudes from comparison stars) of the apparent
nova from images taken with the 0.65-m telescope at Ondrejov:  2008 Feb.
11.788, [22.0; Oct. 31.167, [21.9; Dec. 9.164, [21.7; 29.202, 18.6; 29.697,
18.7; 30.198, 19.0.
     A. W. Shafter, San Diego State University; R. Ciardullo, Pennsylvania
State University; M. F. Bode and M. J. Darnley, Liverpool John Moores
University; and K. A. Misselt, University of Arizona, report spectroscopic
observations based on a spectrum obtained on 2009 Jan. 1.4 UT by J. Caldwell
with the 9.2-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (+ Marcario Low-Resolution Spectrograph).
The spectrum, which is dominated by moderately broad Balmer, Fe II, and O I
777.3-nm emission features (FWHM H-alpha about 2200 km/s) superimposed on a
flat continuum, is typical of a nova of the "Fe II" spectroscopic type
shortly after maximum light.
     This nova is designated M81N 2008-12b, with the one announced on CBET
1632 designated M81N 2008-12a.


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      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2009 CBAT
2009 January 5                   (CBET 1653)              Daniel W. E. Green