COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
        INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS

                     NUMBER 517

                               Konkoly Observatory
                               Budapest
                               1971 February 16

               ON A POSSIBLE NOVA
     AT GREAT DISTANCE FROM THE CENTRE OF M 31.


      Last year we reported on a possible nova (our No 5)
found at great distance from the centre of M 31 (1). From
the inspection of the corresponding region on plates 
obtained with the 48-inch Schmidt telescope on Palomar 
Mountain S. Van den Bergh recently concluded that the object
No 5, recorded only on our plate of Aug. 19/20 1969, 
possibly refers to a flare of a faint red star found by him
at the position of the suspected nova (2).
      Indeed a faint star (evidently that one noticed by
Van den Bergh) can be seen on the Palomar Observatory Sky
Survey print of the red image plate E 398 of Oct. 3/4 1951
yet its position is slightly different from that shown in
the note (1).
      To check the suggested identity of these two 
objects the possible effect of the proper motion of the red
star had to be excluded. From the measurements of the 
position of the red star relative to three neighbouring stars
on the POSS print mentioned as well as on two photographs
in yellow light obtained on Dec. 23/24 and 25/26, 1970
with the 80/120 cm Schmidt telescope of the Radioastrophysical 
Observatory of the Latvian Academy of Sciences it turned
out that the position of the red star has not changed 
significantly since 1951. Besides the red star (noted R in
finding chart) is situated 9" to the east and 3" to the
south of nova No 5. Thus they are different objects.
      Considering the great importance of the discovery
of novae at enormous distance from the centre of M 31 we
appeal once more to other observing astronomers who have
obtained photographs about Aug. 20 1969 which included the
region of nova No 5, R.A. - 0h29,4m, Decl. - +39d02'
(1950), to look them through in order to try to solve 

                       [FIGURE 1]

completely the question of the nature of the object. The 
position of the nova is 28" to the west and 19" to the north
of the star noted by No. 1 on the finding chart.


Sternberg Astronomical Institute
Moscow State University, Moscow
Radioastrophysical Observatory
Latvian Academy of Sciences, Riga
U.S.S.R.

                                A.S. SHAROV
                                A.K. ALKSNIS



References

1. A.S. Sharov, A.K. Alksnis. Astron. Circ. USSR, No 560,
   1970. [BIBCODE 1970ATsir.560....1S ]
2. S. Van den Bergh. Inform. Bull. Variable Stars, No 478,
   1970.