2010CBET.2135....1N

Koichi Nishiyama, Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan; and Fujio Kabashima, Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken, Japan, report the discovery of an apparent nova (mag 18.1) in M31 on seven 40-s unfiltered CCD frames (limiting mag 19.5) taken around Jan. 17.438 UT using a Meade 200R 0.40-m f/9.8 reflector (+ SBIG STL1001E camera). M31N 2010-01b is located at R.A. = 0:43:00.07 ± 0s.01, Decl. = +41:25:16.9 ± 0".1 (equinox 2000.0), which is 178" east and 548" north of the center of the galaxy. Additional magnitudes for M31N 2010-01b: Jan. 8.435, [19.0; 16.457, [19.1; 18.426, 17.1. Nothing is visible at this position on the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) red and infrared plates. T. Yusa, Osaki, Japan, reports that eighteen stacked 120-s unfiltered CCD frames (limiting mag 20.0) taken on Jan. 17.540 using a 0.30-m f/8.2 Cassegrain telescope yield mag 18.3 and position end figures 00s.13, 17".4 for M31N 2010-01b, adding that nothing is visible at this position on DSS images from 1985 Dec. 17 and 1986 Nov. 28 (red). Yusa has posted an image marking the new object at http://space.geocities.jp/yusastar/images/PNin31_100117.jpg.