Wed, 09/21/2016 - 19:07
ATEL is reporting a bright supernova in NGC 613 (declination -25):
http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=9521
http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=9526
It is reported to be V ~ 15 and rising fast. This is a perfect opportunity for those of you in the southern hemisphere with spectroscopic capabilities to beat the pros to a spectral classification for this supernova.
My offer to use my own creditials to post an ATEL or CBAT for a non-pro (give you all the credit) still stands if any of you want to take advantage of that.
The process of supernova confirmation by spectroscopy is now automated by submitting spectra to the Transient Name Server (TNS) .
https://wis-tns.weizmann.ac.il/
Amateurs are also allowed to register there and submit confirming spectra. (Keep in mind though that there is no longer a gatekeeper so with great power comes responsibility!
I have two confirmations this year to date, sn2016bme, sn2016gfr, both of which as it happens were also discovered by amateurs. I may be wrong but I suspect these may have been the first sn to be confirmed spectroscopically by an amateur.
Robin