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The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) discovered a supernova in M101 on August 24th.

Over the next few nights the comet C/2009 P1 Garradd makes a close pass by of Messier object 71 in the constellation of Sagitta (the arrow). Close encounters between different classes of astronomical object are always of interest, both for the visual observer and the astronomical imager.

Although the Perseids are one of the stand-out meteor showers of the year, in 2011 the display is unlikely to be spectacular due to the interference of the full Moon.

Nick James reports there are at least two ‘bright’ novae in M31 at the moment.