COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
             INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                          Number 3082


                                               Konkoly Observatory
                                               Budapest
                                               4 September 1987

                                               HU ISSN 0374-0676



                ON THE POSSIBLE NOVA OF SOLOVYOV

   In 1949, Solovyov (1949a,b) reported on a possible nova in the constellation
of Aquila. The evidence for the existence of the nova consists of only
one photographic plate taken on 2 May 1949 at 21h42.0mUT. On this plate,
the limiting magnitude was 13.5, the nova appeared at between 10.8 and 11.0
magnitude, and the nova's position was 19h 22m 58.3s, +2d 41' 28" (1949.0.epoch).
The nova was not detected on plates taken two days earlier, one day earlier,
or 23 days later. From this evidence, it is quite possible that Solovyov's
object (CSV101836 = NSV12006) could be a faint galactic nova that brightened
on 2 May 1949 and then quickly faded. It is also possible that Solovyov's 
object could be a flare star of large amplitude, or a gamma ray burster, or a
photographic defect.

   To help choose between these possibilities, I have examined the plates
at the Harvard College Observatory. Specifically, I was looking for plates
exposed around 2 May 1949 which showed the position of the possible nova. I
did find the plates B74713 (a 45m exposure started at 3 May 1949 16h 9m UT
with a limiting magnitude of roughly 14.0) and RB16275 (a 120m exposure started 
at 5 May 1949 16h 42m UT with a limiting magnitude of roughly 15.5). Both
plates showed no sign of anything unusual near the error box.

   These observations rule out the possibility of Solovyov's object being
a nova, since the object would have to have faded by over 3.0 magnitudes in
19 hours. I would like to request that other astronomers with access to 
archival plate collections should try to see if they have photographs from the
same night. I would also like to request that anyone who may have access to
the original plate of Solovyov should examine the image for plate defects.
Such an examination should include a comparison of the image under high 
magnification with those of nearby stars, as well as a blink comparison with a
comparable plate.


                          BRADLEY E. SCHAEFER

                  NASA/GSFC, Code 661, Greenbelt, MD, 20771,USA


References:

Solovyov, A.V., 1949a, Russian Astronomical Circulars, no. 87.
Solovyov, A.V., 1949b, Russian Astronomical Circulars, no. 88.