2011CBET.2865....1N

S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports the discovery by Yukio Sakurai (Mito, Ibaraki-ken) of a possible nova (mag 11.2) in Sagittarius (at R.A. = 18:44:15, Decl. = -17d32'.5, equinox 2000.0) on two 15-s CCD frames (limiting mag 13.0) taken on Oct. 3.425 UT using a Fuji FinePix S2 Pro Digital Camera (+ Nikon 180-mm f/2.8 lens); nothing is visible on a frame taken by Sakurai on Sept. 27.5 (limiting mag 12.4). Sakurai obtained a confirming jpeg image (limiting mag 12.4) on Oct. 4.45, from which Nakano measured mag 11.5 and position R.A. = 18:44:15.20, Decl. = -17:32:36.7 (uncertainty ± 2"); Nakano measured mag 11.3 and position end figures 15s.16, 31".0 (uncertainty ± 4") from the discovery image. The object was designated PNV J18441516-1732310 when it was posted on the Central Bureau's TOCP webpage. Nakano reports mag 10.0 and position end figures 14s.94, 34".2 (UCAC3 reference stars) for PNV J18441516-1732310 from an unfiltered CCD image (limiting mag 17.5) taken by T. Noguchi (Katori, Chiba-ken, Japan; 0.23-m f/6.3 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector + BITRAN BT-11E camera) on Oct. 7.415; Noguchi adds that a star is present very close to this position on a red 1992 Digitized Sky Survey image. Additional magnitudes for PNV J18441516-1732310 from R. A. Koff (Bennett, CO, U.S.A.; Meade 0.25-m f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector + Apogee AP-47p camera; image scale 2"/pixel), who also measures position end figures 14s.94 ± 0s.01, 33".8 ± 0".1 (UCAC3 reference stars): Oct. 6.084, 10.8 (unfiltered); 11.079, 10.6 (unfiltered), V = 10.8 ± 0.1, I = 8.4 ± 0.1. Koff adds that stars with nearly identical positions in the USNO B-1.0 and UCAC3 catalogues have magnitudes therein that are 3-5 magnitudes dimmer than the star's current brightness. Koff has posted an image of PNV J18441516-1732310 at website URL http://antelopehillsobservatory.org/SNpictures/PNVJ18441516-1732310final.jpg.