S.A. Amateur discovers Supernova

To All,

Here is some fantastic news!!

This is probably the first supernova to be discovered by a South African amateur since Jack Bennetts discovery.(??)
Well done Berto! Now if someone can just get the skies to clear for tonight, please.

regards,
Brian

-----Original Message-----

From: Berto Monard [mailto:Lagmonar@csir.co.za]
Sent: 19 September 2001 12:10
Cc: brian.fraser@Macsteel.co.za; janhers@pixie.co.za
Subject: SN in NGC 1448

Dear VSNET and other observers,

I have pleasure in announcing my first visual supernova discovery, which has been confirmed since.
The SN will have to be named still by IAU, hopefully later today.
The following details apply:

Galaxy : NGC 1448 at position 03 44 32 -44 39

The position of this relatively bright supernova (suspect) in this relatively nearby galaxy (approx 15 Mpc) is about 15" North and 9" West of the galaxy nucleus. From this position it is not clear if it belongs to the disk or the bulge. Improved positions and descriptions will be announced in the circular.

There is a 14.8 V (approx) foreground star just to the North of the SN suspect.

My most recent observations of NGC 1448 in UT /
20010825.96 <14.6V
20010917.064 14.5V
20010917.108 14.5V
20010917.930 14.3V

Since then clouds have taken over here but I received reports that the SN has brightened further.
The magnitudes were estimated vs a comparison sequence based on UCAC1 and USNO-A2.0 B and R data.

The following stars can be used to estimate SNe near NGC 1448. They are derived fron UCAC1 magnitudes and USNO-A2.0 B and R magnitudes (used mainly for the colour indication). R magnitudes are preferably used to measure in the R band, which is approximately the case with CCD measures without any optical filter. Since SNe are expected to be blue it means that the SN V-value equals its R-value.

(2000) position RA / DE / Magnitudes
034407.8 -443551 / 13.8V / 13.4R
034413.6 -443909 / 14.5V / 14.4R     a blue star / good reference
034417.3 -443746 / 14.7V / 14.4R
034421.8 -443839 / 15.7V / 15.3R
034429.5 -443728 / 14.8V / 14.4R     close by but reddish
034437.8 -443934 / 12.75V / 12.39R *
* from Loneos data base

All magnitudes are estimated to be accurate to within 0.2 magnitude in both bands. The Loneos data are accurate to much better, approx 0.05 magnitude.

Enjoy your observations.

Kind regards,

Berto Monard
Pretoria