2008IAUC.8946....2B

Following posting of this object on the Central Bureau's unconfirmed-objects webpage, H. E. Bond, Space Telescope Science Institute; F. M. Walter, Stony Brook University; and J. Velasquez, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, report that a spectrum (resolution 1.72 nm), obtained on May 15.4 UT with the SMARTS 1.5-m telescope at Cerro Tololo, shows emission lines of H_alpha, H_beta, the Ca II triplet at 854.2, 849.8, and 866.2 nm, and – remarkably – strong emission at the forbidden [Ca II] doublet at 729.1 and 732.3 nm. Ca II H and K are seen in absorption. The Balmer lines are only slightly resolved at the velocity resolution (790 km/s) of the spectra. The mean heliocentric radial velocity of the features is about +430 km/s, probably consistent with membership in NGC 300. At an optical absolute magnitude of -12.5, the object is photometrically and spectroscopically not a classical nova, luminous blue variable, or supernova. The spectrum is fairly similar to that of V838 Mon on 2002 Feb. 13 (Wisniewski et al. 2003, Ap.J. 588, 486, Fig. 5) – an object suggested to represent the collision or merger of two stars. Continued spectroscopic and photometric monitoring of this transient in NGC 300 is urged.