One of the objects that I observed on Wednesday night with the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain (162x) at the ASH Naylor Observatory near Lewisberry, PA, was Nova Sagittarii 2003 Number 2. This new nova, if you'll pardon the pun, was discovered by Nick Brown on September 19th and is located at R.A. = 18h10m10.42s, Declination. = -27d45'35.2". Using the AAVSO finder chart and the second edition of the Uranometria 2000.0 (page 145) I was able to locate the nova at approximately 01:00 UT just to the east of a distinctive arrow-shaped asterism. Bob Young, an ASH member who is an experienced variable star observer, felt that the nova was shining at approximately 9.3 magnitude.

For further information on this nova see http://www.aavso.org/publications/newsflash/sp7.shtml and http://www.aavso.org/news/nsgr032.shtml

Dave Mitsky

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Hi Dave,

Thanks for the info, it would be nice to find out if the original star had a companion. Is there a way to find out if this star was a binary system? It would be a candidate to verify the concept of "fissioning" postulated in the Electric Star model (sorry, I see everything in electrical shades these days). The reason a nova occurs, is accordig to this model, is when electrical stress of a star reaches a certain threshold (depending on the mass and surface of the star in question) and this stress is "released" by ejecting material, called fissioning. When that happens anything between a large planet and a new star can be ejected, and a close binary system or a close circling planet can be formed. I posted a question on V838 Monocerotis and there the same process seems to be happening.
Is there any information on nova's before and after the event to your knowledge?
Thanks,

Louis.