2002 Oct 25 10:40:20 UT - The discovery
image was a 25 second exposure with an ST-7E binned 2x2. Can you make
it out? Hint: It's a lot easier on the unbinned image below!
2002 Oct 25 11:00:53 - 11:10:46 UT - Having determined it was
not a cosmic ray hit, I took a number of high resolution images in order
to improve its position (by taking the mean of many images). Ten individual
images were stacked to make this composite (10 x 45sec exposures, unfiltered
100mm f/4.5 telephoto + ST-7E, 3.8 x 2.6 deg FOV, west at top). Situated
only 2.5 degrees from the Galactic Equator, it's a pretty crowded field!
The bright star in the top left corner is 58 Oph.
2002 Oct 27 11:23 UT Astrometric image taken with
a C11 @ f/5.8. The highlighted stars were used for the plate solution.
FOV 18.3 x 13.9' centred on 17h 47m 39s -23d 31' 26". East at top. The
nova appears at the bottom right.
Vello Tabur