Observation by Nick James: A nova re-appears after 32 years!

Uploaded by

Nick James

Observer

Nick James

Observed

2020 May 30 - 01:20

Uploaded

2020 May 30 - 08:51

Objects

Variable star

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Constellation

Andromeda

Field centre

RA: 02^h31^m
Dec: +40°00'
Position angle: +2°17'

Field size

1°34' × 1°12'

Equipment

Megrez 72 + SXVR H18

Exposure

10x60s

Location

Chelmsford, UK

Target name

PQ And

Title

A nova re-appears after 32 years!

About this image

A long time ago in a far distant time several of us were searching for novae as part of the UK patrol run by Guy Hurst. We used film and small cameras and blinked the negatives on a light table after each night's session. I never discovered a nova but Dave McAdam did. Here is the front page of the 1988 April TA with his dicovery photograph of 1988 March 21. PQ And as it was designated has flared up again after 32 years. It was detected at mag 10.5 by Kenji Hirosawa on May 28.776. It is in a difficult position for me and I had to wait until almost daylight to get this image but it is great to see Dave's nova bright again after all of these years. Reading the discovery story in TA from that long ago I really can't believe that so much time has passed by.

Files associated with this observation

baa_8.jpg (640.9 kB)

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Gary Poyner, Jeremy Shears, Neil Morrison, Mr Leonard Entwisle, Dr Paul Leyland, David Basey, Andy Wilson, Graham Winstanley, Peter Carson

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