+++++ Nova in Eridanus This is an AstroAlert from Sky & Telescope. NOVEMBER 29, 2009 by Roger W. Sinnott An 8th-magnitude nova was discovered on November 25, 2009, by Koichi Itagaki of Yamagata, Japan. The new star lies in northeastern Eridanus, 6.9° west-southwest of Rigel. In an e-mail sent late on the evening of November 28th, Sky & Telescope Senior Editor Alan MacRobert writes, "Just spotted the nova in my 10x50 binocs on their wooden shoulder frame. Barely visible through the bright moonlight at about mag 8.4." The find was announced on CBET 2050, issued November 25th by the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Itagaki was using an 0.21-meter (8.3-inch) patrol camera, but within 15 minutes he secured a confirming image with an 0.60-meter reflector. The nova lies at right ascension 4h 47.9m, declination –10° 11' (equinox 2000.0). +++++ It'll be about 7 degrees to the upper right of Rigel as Rigel is rising this evening about 8. Well placed for viewing as it transits about 1 tomorrow morning, about 40 degrees above the horizon as seen from SLC. patrick