Nova in Cas

[JeremyS]

Yesterday a nova was discovered in Cas. It’s currently a mag 8 binocular object. More details here: https://britastro.org/node/25814

[Waddensky]

Very interesting! Bright and well-placed.

[Littleguy80]

Thanks for the heads up, Jeremy. Could I ask how to use the chart in the link? I’ve often tried and failed to translate those type of charts into something I could relate back to SkySafari. I struggle to identify the larger stars to the find the equivalent star field. 

[Waddensky]

23 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Thanks for the heads up, Jeremy. Could I ask how to use the chart in the link? I’ve often tried and failed to translate those type of charts into something I could relate back to SkySafari. I struggle to identify the larger stars to the find the equivalent star field. 

It's half a degree south of open cluster M52. Quite easy to find when using the right side of Cassiopeia's W as pointers.

Edit: here's a zoomable DSS map centered on the correct location.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Waddensky

[JeremyS]

16 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Thanks for the heads up, Jeremy. Could I ask how to use the chart in the link? I’ve often tried and failed to translate those type of charts into something I could relate back to SkySafari. I struggle to identify the larger stars to the find the equivalent star field. 

Simple way as @Waddensky says: just S of M52.

The way to locate is to use the variable star chart link I sent. When that displays there is a link that says Plot Another Chart. You can then choose the scale you prefer. If you chose chart scale A you get this 15 deg view. You can compare that chart with a star atlas and see that the brightest star (marked 23, i.e. mag 2.3) is beta Cas, and star 35 (mag 3.5) is iota Cep.

[Littleguy80]

All excellent, that helps a lot. Thank you both very much! Looking clear early on this evening so hopefully will get a chance to try and spot this  

[John]

43 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

All excellent, that helps a lot. Thank you both very much! Looking clear early on this evening so hopefully will get a chance to try and spot this  

Hope you get it Neil

Not looking clear at all here otherwise I'd be planning to do just the same.

Thanks for the "Heads up" Jeremy

Hopefully it will stay bright enough to observer for a few days.

 

[JeremyS]

Latest data I’ve seen have it at mag 7.9

Looks like Sunday might be my first chance.

[John]

3 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Latest data I’ve seen have it at mag 7.9

Looks like Sunday might be my first chance.

Same here

[Stu]

Might be able to give it a go in binos or perhaps the 150p. Could be clear tonight

[Waddensky]

Just went out with the 10x50 and I found the nova! It's easy to locate using the rhombus-shaped asterism including 4 Cas, its minor axis points roughly to Nova Cas 2021, close to HD 220819 (mag 6.6) and a bit farther from M52. I am no variable star observer by a long shot, but to my eyes, it looked brighter than HD 220770 (mag 7.8) but not as bright as HD 220167 (7.2).

Edited March 19, 2021 by Waddensky

[JeremyS]

7 minutes ago, Waddensky said:

Just went out with the 10x50 and I found the nova! It's easy to locate using the rhombus-shaped asterism including 4 Cas, its minor axis points roughly to Nova Cas 2021, close to HD 220819 (mag 6.6) and a bit farther from M52. I am no variable star observer by a long shot, but to my eyes, it looked brighter than HD 220770 (mag 7.8) but not as bright as HD 220167 (7.2).

That’s excellent. Well done  

I was thinking that rhombus might be a good indicator 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Really excited about viewing this. Lots of thick grey cloud here the last two nights though. There may be a window of opportunity tomorrow.

Thanks Jeremy.

 

[Littleguy80]

Had a brief go at this but was beaten by cloud while I was trying to figure out the star field. Scope is still outside in case it clears out again. 

Great observing @Waddensky, your description is very helpful!

[davhei]

I visually estimated it at 8.1 this evening at 18:20 UT.

Seems to be brightening. Will be fun to follow.

[Stu]

Well you lot are better than me! I’m in the right field, I think, with the 150p and I’m blowed if I can identify it. Any pointers on this chart appreciated! Newt view, 2.2 degree field

[Stu]

Think I’ve got it now... near SAO20610?

[davhei]

Here is an aavso-chart of the same area. Note the long chain of stars-asterism at 7 o’clock.

The nova forms a nice triangle with the 90 and 91 stars.

[Pixies]

2 minutes ago, Stu said:

Think I’ve got it now... near SAO20610?

Yep - that's where my SkySafari-Fu gets me too. 

[John]

Good to hear of the successes with this one

Unrelenting cloud here, unfortunately.

[Pixies]

Link with pic:

https://www.nao.ac.jp/en/news/topics/2021/20210319-nova.html

[Stu]

52 minutes ago, davhei said:

Here is an aavso-chart of the same area. Note the long chain of stars-asterism at 7 o’clock.

The nova forms a nice triangle with the 90 and 91 stars.

Thanks very much, that’s a very useful chart and confirms I did see it

To me it looked the same brightness as HD220720 which is mag 7.8.

M52 was basically invisible to me at low power in the 150p with 24mm Panoptic. Popping a 12.5mm BGO in allowed me to see it with averted  vision, and going to 6mm helped a little more but it still required averted vision for the stars to pop nicely into view. Limiting magnitude through the scope with the 24mm was somewhere around mag 9.9 I think, whilst most of the M52 stars are 10. something or dimmer.

Nice to have caught the Nova at the first opportunity. Thanks very much @JeremyS for the heads up!

[Pixies]

Apparently mag increased from +9.6 to +7.5 (today) in one day

https://astronomynow.com/2021/03/19/new-nova-in-cassiopeia-brightens-rapidly/

[JeremyS]

There’s a pic of the nova and M52 by the BAA’s Nick James: https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20210319_220341_0251041a729b7935

[John]

How long do these usually events last ?

Do we know how bright the star was prior to the outburst ?

Thanks

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by John