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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 3154      2016 Mar 18 20.13UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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V3661 OPHIUCHI = NOVA OPH 2016 = PNV 17355050-2934240
The object reported on TA E-Circular 3152 based on a message by Hitoshi
Yamaoka, Kyushu University, Japan has now been designated as V3661 Ophiuchi.

Yamaoka also reports the independent discovery (at mag about 10.6 at
position end figures 51s.1, 22") by Y. Nakamura, Japan) on a 30-s CCD image
(limiting mag about 14.0) taken on 2016 Mar. 11.83UT using a 135-mm-f.l.
lens.

Additional CCD magnitudes for the variable:
Mar. 1.849, [13.5 (Nakamura); 7.817, [13.0 (T. Kojima, Japan; Canon EOS 6D
camera + 200-mm-f.l. lens); 9.827, 12.6 (Kojima; two pre-discovery images;
position end figures 50s.56, 19".0 and magnitude 13.8 measured by Nakano
from a JPEG image, with estimated uncertainty +/- 2"); 12.461, V = 10.99,
I_c = 8.38 (S. Kiyota, Japan; remotely with a 0.25-m astrograph at Mayhill,
NM, USA); 15.771, 10.9 (Y. Sakurai, Japan; two 15-s exposures with a
180-mm-f.l. lens + Nikon D7100 camera; limiting mag 13.0). 

U. Munari, Padova Observatory, reports that spectroscopy obtained on Mar.
14.15 UT by U. Sollecchia with a 0.20-m telescope in Italy (600 lines/mm)
through clouds, shows a continuum that is very red, with a broad H_alpha
emission line sitting on the continuum; the FWHM of the hydrogen line is
about 1400 km/s, and a P-Cyg absorption appears at -950 km/s from the
emission.  Overall, this is the spectrum of a nova.  Munari notes the very
red colour of the nova, as seen in the following photometry he obtained with
F.-J. Hambsch and A. Frigo:  Mar. 12.400, V = 10.81, B-V = +2.42, V-I =
+2.68; 13.328, 10.84, +2.58, +2.81; 14.326, 11.32, +2.64, +3.12.  

IAUC 9280 issued 2016 March 16

Guy M Hurst