ASASSN-17hx, a newly discovered galactic nova in Scutum: an image (23 June 2017)
A new galactic nova, ASASSN-17hx, as just be confirmed in Scutum. Since its discovery, it increased its brighness significantly, becoming accessible to small telescopes. Let’s hope it will brighten more and more.
Galactic nova ASASSN-17hx in Scutum: 23 June 2017
The image above is the average of five, 60-seconds exposures, unfiltered, remotely taken with “Elena” (PlaneWave 17″+Paramount ME+SBIG STL-6303E) robotic unit available at Virtual Telescope. The image scale is 1.2″/pixel.
From our images, we measured a magnitude of 11.7 (unfiltered, R-mags for the reference stars from UCAC-4). At the discovery time (19.41 June 2017), its brightness was estimated at V=14.8. Spectroscopy revealed this transiet to be a He/N type nova, while the only pre-outburst counterpart closer than 1″ to the nova was found among the Gaia data, with a source about 6 .6 magnitudes fainter. Its position is: RA = 18 31 45.89; Decl. = -14 18 55.9 (J2000.0).
We will follow-up this target to see if it is still increasing its brightness.
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