Nova in Hercules

[Jeremy Shears]

Patrick Schmeer has just posted this message on the BAA VSS Alert email system:

TCP J18573095+1653396 = ZTF19aasfsjq  (N:)
(submitted to VSX)

Discovered on 2021 June 12.537 UT at mag. 8.4 by Seiji Ueda (Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan):
http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unconf/followups/J18573095+1653396.html

ZTF light curve, data, and images (via Lasair):
https://lasair.roe.ac.uk/object/ZTF19aasfsjq/

Possibly recorded on the rise (gmag. ~16.3 on June 12.192 UT) by the ASAS-SN Sky Patrol:
https://asas-sn.osu.edu/sky-patrol/coordinate/a611fda3-59f1-42fd-8e6d-386b21100256

Source No. 4514092717838547584 in Gaia EDR3 (Gmag. 19.95).

Spectroscopy and multiband photometry are urgently required.

Clear skies,
Patrick
——-
References:
All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) Sky Patrol:
– Shappee et al., 2014ApJ…788…48S
– Kochanek et al., 2017PASP..129j4502K
Lasair:
– Smith et al., 2019RNAAS…3…26S
Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF):
– Masci et al., 2019PASP..131a8003M

[Jeremy Shears]

Latest on CBAT transients page: 

2021 06 12.642 – Visually confirmed this nova suspect at reported position. Magnitude 6.4 at June 12.642 UT.

2021 06 12.642 -Visual observation on June 12.642 UT by Andrew Pearce (Nedlands, W.Australia)

[Jeremy Shears]

Charts available from the AAVSO chart plotter. Here is a 5 deg chart. And here is 10 deg.

Note that it’s almost in Aql: it is between epsilon Aql and 111 Her

[Daryl Dobbs]

In the twilight using opticron 15×70 binoculars I estimate the magnitude as 5.8

[Gary Poyner]

Observed with 10x50B and a 5 degree chart drawn with VSP using the 61 star, I get 6.2 on June 12 at 22h 06m UT.

Gary

[Jeremy Shears]

Got it here at 6.3 vis, Jun 12 at 22h 12m, using 8 x 42 bins 

[Paul Sutherland]

Here is a photo just taken from Walmer, Kent. A 20 second exposure with a FujiFilm X-T10 and kit lens at 3200 ISO.

[Paul Sutherland]

And here as an attachment.

[Robin Leadbeater]

Intriguingly a low resolution Star Analyser spectrum by Rob Kaufman in Australia earlier today failed to show any significant emission

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ww271/Rob_Kau/TCP_J18573095_1653396_spectrum_12_June_2021_text.jpg

After clear blue skies all afternoon the clouds have rolled in here but no doubt we will have better spectra tonight

[David Boyd]

Here is a low resolution R~1000 spectrum of the new bright object in Her. Taken with a LISA on a 0.28m SCT.

This has been instrument and atmospheric response corrected.

David

[Nick James]

Another bright nova! Here’s my image https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20210612_231222_b0ed29be83050b55. I’ve taken some 1s exposures too which I’ll measure later.

[Nick Quinn]

A short 5 second exposure with 35mm lens.

[Francesco Campanini]

5 seconds exposure – Canon 450d – Zenistar 73mm f=430mm APO – ISO 800 – Chesham UK

[Hugh Allen]

It’s wonderful that a ‘new star’ appears in the sky when the weather is ideal! The BAA notification system worked perfectly and I was able to observe the possible Nova Her 2021 after first capturing another spectrum of Nova Cas 2021. This is an extraordinary spectrum the like of which I haven’t seen before

Cheers

Hugh

[Eric Watkins]

Whilst test running a new 2nd main telescope (16″, F:6 Newt)  I was able to image the new Nova in Hercules, using a Moravian MkII 3200ME camera, 2x binning and a 1 sec exposure

[Jeremy Shears]

Now confirmed as a Nova by Munari, Valisa and Dellaporta in an ATEL 14704: “Spectroscopic classification of TCP J18573095+1653396 as a nova bordering naked-eye brightness”

[Robin Leadbeater]

Very broad P Cygni H and He by the looks. Almost overlapping with the high velocity. Almost a supernova like spectrum

[Dawson]

In simple terms, what does the spectrum of the nova tell us about what is going on?

[Hugh Allen]

After a little sleep I’ve attempted to interpret last night’s spectrum. I estimate an explosion velocity of about 3450 km/sec based on the P Cygni profile of the Hα emission. I’ve annotated the spectrum with the rest wavelengths of the first seven H Balmer lines, where at the shortest wavelengths the P Cygni profiles are not consistently positioned based on my estimated explosion velosity. I also added  couple of the HeI l lines where the positions are consistent. Using my explosion velocity, several of the deepest absorption lines appear more consistent with some specific metal P Cygni profiles. It’s certainly a fascinating spectrum

Cheers

Hugh

[Alan Dowdell]

Observed with Binos in a bright sky approx estimate 6th mag. Easy to find.

Image was taken at 22.52 UT Canon 600D 10sec exposure undriven

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