AAVSO Alert Notice 683: Nova in Scutum = V659 Scuti (Nova Scuti 2019 = ASASSN-19aad, TCP J18395972-102541)

1 November 2019

Event:  Nova in Scutum: V659 Sct = N Sct 2019 (= ASASSN-19aad, TCP J18395972-102541)

Discovered independently by:

- Koichi Nishiyama (Kurume, Japan)

- Hideo Nishimura (Kakegawa, Shizuoka-ken, Japan; reported to CBAT by S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan)

- Shizuo Kaneko (Shizuoka-ken, Japan; reported by Nakano)

Discovery magnitude:  

- ASAS-SN: mag 11.5 (Sloan g filter)

- Nishiyama: unfiltered magnitude 9.4

- Nishimura: unfiltered magnitude 9.8 (on three CCD frames with a Canon EOS 6D digital camera + 200-mm-f.l. f/3.2 lens)

- Kaneko: unfiltered magnitude 9.8 (with a Canon 6D digital camera + 200-mm-f.l. f/3 lens)

Discovery date:

- ASAS-SN: 2019 October 29.05 UT

- Nishiyama: 2019 October 29.397 UT

- Nishimura: 2019 October 29.421 UT

- Kaneko: 2019 October 29.462 UT

Coordinates (2000.0): R.A. 18 39 59.70   Decl. -10 25 41.5  (from VSX)

Spectra: Spectroscopy obtained by S. C. Williams et al. (ATel #13241) on 2019 October 29.81 UT with the 2-m Liverpool Telescope at the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos, La Palma, indicates that the object is a Galactic nova in the early stages of eruption.

Observing recommendations: Observations of all types (visual, CCD, DSLR, PEP, spectroscopy) and multiple bands as instrumentation permits are strongly encouraged as the nova evolves.

Observations reported to the AAVSO:

2019 Oct. 28.064 UT, [17.1 CCD (ASAS-SN, via CBET 4690);

29.453, 9.4 CCD (A. Takao, Kitakyushu, Japan, via CBET 4690);

29.469, 9.0 CCD (K. Itagaki, Yamagata, Japan, via CBET 4690);

29.70210, 9.4 (F. Vohla, Altenburg, Germany);

29.71320, 9.228 TG +/-0.01 (D. Blane, Henley-on-Klip, S. Africa);

29.749, 9.3 (P. Schmeer, Saarbrücken-Bischmisheim, Germany);

29.75000, 9.34 (M. Deconinck, Artignosc sur Verdon, France);

29.78819, 9.32 (Deconinck);

29.82850, 9.3 (C. Labordena, Castellon, Spain);

30.00643, 7.601 R +/-0.018 (F.-J. Hambsch, Mol, Belgium);

30.00652, 7.647 R +/-0.018 (Hambsch);

30.00672, 9.843 B +/-0.020 (Hambsch);

30.00693, 9.835 B +/-0.019 (Hambsch);

30.00714, 8.589 V +/-0.013 (Hambsch);

30.00729, 8.605 V +/-0.014 (Hambsch);

30.00745, 6.722 I +/-0.038 (Hambsch);

30.00755, 6.757 I +/-0.034 (Hambsch);

30.07324, 8.657 V +/-0.003 (R. Fidrich, Budapest, Hungary);

30.07420, 8.674 V +/-0.003 (Fidrich);

30.425, 8.3 CCD (Takao, via CBET 4690);

30.72410, 8.554 TG +/-0.006 (Blane);

30.72430, 8.9 (Vohla);

30.74167, 8.5 (Deconinck);

30.74306, 8.6 (Deconinck);

30.77710, 8.5 (Labordena);

31.07363, 8.384 V +/-0.005 (F. Romanov, Yuzhno-Morskoy, Nakhodka, Russia);

31.07426, 8.421 V +/-0.05 (Romanov);

31.07515, 8.412 V +/-0.05 (Romanov);

31.07604, 9.914 B +/-0.06 (Romanov);

31.07665, 9.975 B +/-0.006 (Romanov);

31.07756, 9.983 B +/-0.001 (Romanov);

31.08307, 8.359 V +/-0.003 (Fidrich);

31.08359, 8.378 V +/-0.003 (Fidrich);

31.08420, 9.968 B +/-0.005 (Fidrich);

31.08490, 9.944 B +/-0.005 (Fidrich);

31.11597, 8.5 (C. Hergenrother, Tucson, AZ);

31.44479, 8.742 TG +/-0.08 (Romanov);

31.44501, 8.798 TG +/-0.12 (Romanov);

31.71180, 9.0 (W. Kriebel, Schierling/Walkenstetten, Germany);

31.71780, 8.972 TG +/-0.05 (Blane);

31.73958, 9.1 (A. Kammerer, Karlsruhe, Germany);

31.74281, 8.792 V +/-0.009 (M. Morales Aimar, Sencelles, Spain);

31.74670, 8.9749 TG +/-0.04 (Blane);

31.95278, 8.9 (C. Adib, Porto Alegre, Brazil);

Charts: Charts with comparison stars for V659 Sct may be created using the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter (VSP).

Submit observations: Please submit observations to the AAVSO International Database using the name V659 SCT.

Notes:

a. Designated TCP J18395972-102541 when posted to the IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Transient Object Confirmation Page (TOCP). Most information in this Alert Notice is taken from IAU CBAT CBET 4690 (D. W. E. Green, ed.).

b. P. Schmeer reports that the Pan-STARRS1 source PSO J183959.711-102541.689 is a possible progenitor (magnitudes i = 20.8, z = 20.0; position end figures 59.71s, 41.7"); it is 0.2" from the position reported by Itagaki.

c. N. Samus reports the GCVS name V659 Sct has been assigned to N Sct 2019.

d. Position end figures

- ASAS-SN (2019 Oct. 29.05 UT): 59.82s, 41.9"

- Nishiyama (2019 Oct. 29.397 UT): 59.72s, 41.5"

- Nishimura (2019 Oct. 29.421 UT): 59.64s, 42.4"

- Kaneko (2019 Oct. 29.462 UT): 59.86s, 40.8"

- Takao (2019 Oct. 29.453 UT):59.54s, 42.2"

- Itagaki (2019 Oct. 29.469 UT): 59.70s, 41.5"

e. Images

- K. Itagaki (2019 Oct. 29.469 UT): http://k-itagaki.jp/images/PN-sct.jpg

Congratulations to Koichi Nishiyama, Hideo Nishimura, Shizuo Kaneko, and the ASAS-SN team on their independent discoveries!

This AAVSO Alert Notice was compiled by Elizabeth O. Waagen.

AAVSO Alert Notice 682: Observing Campaign on Polars

16 October 2019

Drs. Kaya Mori (PI), Charles Hailey, Ninad Nirgudkar (Columbia University), and Gavin Ramsay (Armagh Observatory) are requesting AAVSO assistance in monitoring five polars in support of their X-ray study of these stars.

Dr. Mori writes: "Our team is running a long-term program of observing polars (i.e. highly-magnetized CVs) with NASA’s NuSTAR X-ray telescope. Since polars are highly variable (with ~50% duty cycle), we would like to schedule our X-ray observations when our targets are bright in the X-ray band ... Using the future optical magnitude data obtained by AAVSO members [the optical and X-ray fluxes of magnetic CVs are positively correlated], we will make a decision on whether we should trigger X-ray observations or not.

"Our NuSTAR observations of polars in our neighborhood are the first crucial steps to resolve one of the long-standing problems in high-energy astrophysics – the source populations that comprise the Galactic Ridge X-ray emission. Nearly three decades ago, an X-ray haze that extends out from the Galactic Center for ~60 degrees in longitude and a few degrees in latitude was discovered and named as the Galactic ridge X-ray emission (GRXE). A series of very deep Chandra and XMM-Newton observations revealed that the GRXE consists of thousands of unresolved point sources largely dominated by magnetic cataclysmic variables (CVs); the exact X-ray populations of the GRXE are still unknown. Our NuSTAR observations [are part of our study of those populations] ...

"We are requesting V (or CV if necessary) photometry two times per week. For CCD observations, it would be useful to have a 10–30 min sequence of data – this will help determine if there is any change in the brightness over the orbital period. [Cadence should be based on what is needed to attain a good S/N.] However, if this isn’t possible a single measurement is still very useful."

"When a target is found to be bright in the optical band, we will trigger the NuSTAR observations within 1–2 weeks. We will not need any further optical monitoring of that target once its NuSTAR observation is performed. Our NuSTAR observation program will run until the end of May 2020."

Targets:

Name RA (2000)   Dec (2000)    Range Type High state threshold

UZ For 03 35 28.64      -25 44 21.8  17.0-20.9 V AM+E 18.0 V

VV Pup 08 15 06.79      -19 03 17.7  13.9-19.6 V AM+ELL 14.9 V

ST LMi 11 05 39.77      +25 06 28.6  14.4-18.5 V AM 15.4 V

V2301 Oph 18 00 35.53    +08 10 13.9 14.7-22.0 V AM+E 15.7 V

EP Dra  19 07 06.16      +69 08 44.0 17.6-<21.0 V AM+E 18.5 V

Observers are requested to monitor these targets as indicated above, and to submit your observations to the AAVSO International Database in a timely manner. Scheduling of targets with NuSTAR and completion of needed coverage for targets will be posted in the AAVSO forum threads for this campaign (see URL above); please be sure to subscribe to the threads so you may stay up to date with the campaign.

AAVSO finder charts for these stars with comparison stars may be generated using the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter (VSP).

Please submit photometric observations to the AAVSO International Database using the names given in the table.

This AAVSO Alert Notice was compiled by Elizabeth O. Waagen using information supplied by Dr. Mori.

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