According to IAUC No. 6981, M. Modjaz et al. (KAIT team) discovered an apparent nova in M31.
00h 42m 37s.00 (J2000.0) +41o 16' 56".7
The reported unfiltered CCD magnitudes are
1998 Jul. 19.5 <18.0
23.5 16.1
27.5 14.4
31.5 15.6
Even considering the different CCD response to historical photographic records, the peak brightness of 14.4 is remarkable. The brightest novae ever discovered in M31 (disregarding SDOR stars and candidates) are:
max min maxJD name
M31V0748 NA 15.0 (18.6 2448244(1990) - - - ShA33
M31V0889 NA 15.0 (19.0 2445613(1983) - - - Nova1983
M31V0942 NA 15.0 (18. 2438707(1964) - - - Nova57
The record of other M31 (classical) novae seems to indicate the existence of a sharp cut-off around 15.0 mag. Follow-up observations of the present anomalously luminous (apparent) nova are thus highly recommended. Although chance coincidence is very small, there may still exist a chance of a foreground variable.
Historically, two novae were observed close to the location of the present (apparent) nova. The difference in coordinates may safely preclude the possibility of a recurrence.
004234.9 +411639 (2000.0) M31V0849 N 17.5 (19.0 24701(1926) - - - Nova64 004238.8 +411703 (2000.0) M31V0868 N 17.2 (18.5 22608(1920) - - - Nova18Regards,
http://www.astro1.demon.co.uk/images/m31_980729.jpg Link to the image
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