2008IAUC.8972....1N

S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports the discovery by K. Nishiyama (Kurume, Fukuoka-ken) and F. Kabashima (Miyaki-cho, Saga- ken) of a bright star (mag 9.5) on unfiltered CCD images obtained on Sept. 2.4594 UT with a 0.40-m f/9.8 reflector, the presumed nova being located at R.A. = 17h57m32s.93 ± 0s.01, Decl. = -30o43'10".1 ± 0".1 (equinox 2000.0). Nothing is visible at this position on their unfiltered CCD frames taken on Aug. 20.476 (limiting mag 12.8) and 21.470 (limiting mag 12.1) using a patrol camera (+ 105-mm-f.l. f/5.6 lens). They note nearby USNO-B1.0- catalogue stars at position end figures 33s.221, 10".56 (red mag 12.7) and 33s.015, 10".39 (red mag 14.8). Additional independent discoveries also were reported from survey images obtained with digital cameras and telephoto lenses by Y. Sakurai (Mito, Ibaraki- ken, Japan; via Nakano; nova at mag 9.7 on Sept. 3.4) and by Guoyou Sun (Qufu, Shandong, China) and Xing Gao (Urumqi, Xinjiang, China) in the course of the Xingming Observatory Nova Survey (mag approximately 10.5 on Sept. 2.6). Following posting on the CBAT unconfirmed-objects webpage, several other observers sent observations of V1309 Sco that were included with additional discovery details on CBET 1496. Additional selected magnitudes (mostly from unfiltered CCD images) for the nova: 1958 Apr. 18, [19.0 (red Palomar Sky Survey, via C. Jacques and E. Pimentel, Belo Horizonte, Brazil); 2008 July 30, [12 (Sakurai); Aug. 14, 20, 21, and 30, [13.5: (Sun and Gao); 30.783, [14.5 (D. Chekhovich, S. Korotkiy, and T. Kryachko, Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia); 31, [13.5: (Sun and Gao); Sept. 2.735, 10.5 (Chekhovich et al.); 3.512, 9.0 (Nishiyama and Kabashima); 4.489, 8.3 (Nishiyama and Kabashima); 5.483, 7.1 (Nishiyama and Kabashima). N. N. Samus, Institute of Astronomy, Moscow, informs us that this nova has been assigned the designation V1309 Sco.