John Seach Discovers 6.0 Mag Nova in Sagittarius, NSW, Australia

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In summary, a nova in Sagittarius was discovered by John Seach in Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia. It has a magnitude of 6.0 and was visible on three images taken with a DSLR and 50mm f/1.0 lens, with a limiting magnitude of 11.0. However, no object was visible on images taken on March 14 with the same instrument, with a limiting magnitude of 10.5. There was no bright variable star or minor planet at the location. As of March 20, 2015, the nova is around 5th magnitude and is normally visible to the naked eye. However, due to the bright city lights in the inner west Sydney,
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davenn
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nova in Sagittarius discovered by John Seach, Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia. Magnitude 6.0 object visible on 3 images taken with DSLR and 50mm f/1.0 lens, limiting magnitude 11.0. No object visible on images taken with same instrument on March 14.590 UT, limiting magnitude 10.5. No bright variable star, or minor planet at location

As of March 20, 2015, the nova is around 5th magnitude
normally that would be naked eye visible, but due to my very bright, city lit sky, in inner west Sydney, Australia location, my limiting magnitude for NE is around 3.5 - 4.0
I picked it up easily this morning using camera at 70mm, f4, ISO1000 and 30 sec exposure

2015_03_20_3306-1sm annotated.JPG


just to get you into the region here's a screen dump from Stellarium ...
as you can see there is no corresponding star in the circle

Nova Sagittarius loc.JPG

cheers
Dave
 
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jedishrfu said:
You need to get a small place in the countryside :-)
no kidding ;) would be nice to get out of the "ratrace" , but here is where the work is. I live 5-6 minutes drive between home and work :)

early in Jan 2015 I found a place about an hours drive out of the city, NW of home
have used that for my comet and other deep space pics in my other threads

Dave
 
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1. What is a "nova" and how is it different from a supernova?

A nova is a sudden, temporary increase in the brightness of a star, which occurs due to a thermonuclear explosion on the surface of a white dwarf star. This explosion is caused by the accretion of material from a companion star onto the surface of the white dwarf. A supernova, on the other hand, is a much larger and more powerful explosion that occurs when a massive star reaches the end of its life and collapses in on itself.

2. How did John Seach discover the 6.0 Mag Nova in Sagittarius, NSW, Australia?

John Seach is an amateur astronomer who regularly observes the night sky from his backyard in Sagittarius, New South Wales, Australia. On the night of the discovery, he noticed a sudden increase in the brightness of a star in the constellation of Sagittarius. He took a series of photographs and compared them to previous images of the same area, which confirmed that it was indeed a new nova.

3. What does the "6.0 Mag" in the discovery's name refer to?

The "6.0 Mag" in the discovery's name refers to the magnitude of the nova, which is a measure of its brightness. The lower the magnitude number, the brighter the object. A magnitude of 6.0 is considered moderately bright and can be seen with the naked eye from a dark location.

4. What impact does this nova have on the surrounding area?

The nova's impact on the surrounding area is relatively minimal. It may cause a slight increase in the brightness of the night sky in the direction of Sagittarius, but it is not significant enough to have any major effects on Earth or other celestial bodies.

5. Will the nova continue to be visible in the night sky?

It is difficult to predict how long the nova will be visible in the night sky. Novae can last anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on the amount of material being accreted onto the white dwarf and the rate at which it is being expelled. However, as the nova fades, it may still be visible through telescopes for a longer period of time.

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