Observation of Nova V2491 in Cygnus

Mark Johnston

Location of this Nova: R.A. = 19h43m01s.98, Decl. = +32o 19'13".5
(equinox 2000.0; UCAC-2 catalogue reference stars):

Went out last night to 'Cloud 9' near the summit on the west side of Highway 17 at the top of the Mountains to our south. There with me were a few trucks with engines in idle and drivers presumed to be sleeping. Only very light traffic but best of all was a fairly wonderful sky with the west side of Cygnus containing Nova V2491 at a suitable viewing location. Of course I had to take a peek at M57 for my 1st view this year as long as I was up there.

Using a 100mm Orion refractor it was not hard to hop to that area and spot the rather dim Nova at 2am last night.

The Nova is looking very much like it's magnitude is perhaps below that reported 2 days ago but clearly present. It is just brighter than a mag 10.25 star to the immediate west and I believe below the magnitude of a Mag 8.5 star forming the farthest south member of a distinct triangle of stars 30' south of the mag 6 star which dominates the field at the north end of a 30' field of view.

Nice pic which is less cluttered than the realsky image I put up on www.astrospotter.com can be found for confirmation at:

http://tinyurl.com/5o9sbj

Not very exciting but it gives one a feeling of how dynamic the sky really is when something was not looking anything like it had looked 3 days ago (had one been looking).

Clear Skies,
Mark