Nova in the Large Magellanic Cloud 1997

 05:04:26.7 -67:38:38 (J2000.0)

The MACHO Project recently announced the discovery of a nova in the LMC which peaked in June 1997. Above are two images, each spanning 300 arcsec, taken in the MACHO R bandpass. The crosshairs indicate the position of a star in our "template" image - not the position of the nova itself (which is self-evident!) The image on the left was taken long before the outburst (1993 Nov 16.24 UT), while the image on the right was taken near peak brightness and is saturated (1997 June 16.395 UT).

Some doubt about the reality of this event was cast in IAUC 6758 (reproduced below). It is clear from the above images that the nova is quite real and was certainly brighter than V = 13.5 at maximum.

IAUC 6756 (1997 October 14)

NOVA IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD 1997
The MACHO collaboration (cf. IAUC 6312) reports their
discovery of an apparent nova in the Large Magellanic Cloud at R.A.
= 5h04m26s.7, Decl. = -67o38'38" (equinox 2000.0).  The nova peaked
in brightness sometime between consecutive observations on June
3.398 UT (prior to eruption) and June 16.395 (when the star was at
least 8.5 mag brighter than on June 3, at V about 13.5 or brighter).
Currently, the nova is at V about 17.9.

IAUC 6758 (1997 October 21)

NOVA IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD 1997
     W. Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, reports that his films taken
on June 5.97 and 25.96 UT (limiting magnitude about 13.5) show no
evidence of the nova reported by the MACHO collaboration on IAUC
6756.