Days after a faint star in Scorpius brightened into a naked-eye nova, yet another nova twinkles in the Scorpion.
By Daniel Pendick |
Published: February 22, 2007 | Last updated on May 18, 2023
Astronomy: Roen Kelly
Look for the novae in Scorpius, in the southern sky, before dawn.
Astronomy: Roen Kelly
February 20, 2007; updated February 22 On the heels of V1280 Scorpii (a.k.a. Nova Scorpii 2007), the “new star” discovered earlier this month in the constellation Scorpius, observers in Japan have found another. The nova is reportedly shining in the range of magnitude 9.2 or 9.3, which makes it visible with binoculars.
On February 21, the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) Special Notice #34 reported that Yuji Nakamura — one of the observers who found Nova Scorpii 2007 — and Hideo Nishimura independently discovered the second nova. It has been given the designation V1281 Scorpii.
A nova, or “new star,” recently discovered this month in Scorpius has brightened so much in recent weeks that it is now visible to the naked eye. Officially christened Nova Scorpii 2007, the nova is a star whose brightness has suddenly and dramatically increased.
Nova Scorpii 2007 brightened steadily from February 8 to 16, when it peaked at approximately magnitude 4. Since then, the nova has been dimming. (The magnitudes used to construct this graph are rough averages based on raw data reported by observers to the American Association of Variable Star Observers. The AAVSO will check them for accuracy before their official
publication.)
Astronomy: Roen Kelly
The nova was discovered independently by two Japanese observers, Yugi Nakamura and Yukio Sakurai. On February 7, the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) reported the nova’s approximate brightness as magnitude 8.3. It peaked in brightness February 16 at about magnitude 4, according to the average brightness calculated from raw data posted by the AAVSO. On February 20, the AAVSO posted fresh observations showing that Nova Scorpii 2007 had dimmed to approximately magnitude 4.7.
To find the new star, locate Scorpius in the morning sky and use the finder chart here to locate Antares, Scorpius’ brightest star. Then look down and a bit to the left to locate Nova Scorpii 2007. The nova is about the same brightness as the dim star in Orion’s head. It will be easily visible with binoculars.
A nova, or “new star,” recently discovered this month in Scorpius has brightened so much in recent weeks that it is now visible to the naked eye. Officially christened Nova Scorpii 2007, the nova is a star whose brightness has suddenly and dramatically increased.
Nova Scorpii 2007 brightened steadily from February 8 to 16, when it peaked at approximately magnitude 4. Since then, the nova has been dimming. (The magnitudes used to construct this graph are rough averages based on raw data reported by observers to the American Association of Variable Star Observers. The AAVSO will check them for accuracy before their official
publication.)
Astronomy: Roen Kelly
The nova was discovered independently by two Japanese observers, Yugi Nakamura and Yukio Sakurai. On February 7, the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) reported the nova’s approximate brightness as magnitude 8.3. It peaked in brightness February 16 at about magnitude 4, according to the average brightness calculated from raw data posted by the AAVSO. On February 20, the AAVSO posted fresh observations showing that Nova Scorpii 2007 had dimmed to approximately magnitude 4.7.
To find the new star, locate Scorpius in the morning sky and use the finder chart here to locate Antares, Scorpius’ brightest star. Then look down and a bit to the left to locate Nova Scorpii 2007. The nova is about the same brightness as the dim star in Orion’s head. It will be easily visible with binoculars.
