[vsnet-alert 8888] Transient near UGC 3664

[gvnn64 at libero.it]

Dear colleagues,
CBET No. 433 reported the discovery of an unknown object (mag 18.1) on CCD images taken by T. Puckett (Ellijay, GA) on 2006 Mar. 16.02 UT. This transient has been confirmed by images obtained on 2006 March 16.9 UT by Mario e Virgilio Gonano (Remanzacco Observatory, Italy) and Giovanni Benintende (Catania, Italy) at magnitude 18.0, and by Puckett himself on Mar. 17.02 (magn 18.1).

It is located at R.A. = 7h05m35s.65, Decl. =+33o47'42".3 (equinox 2000.0), i.e. almost 2' S-SE of the galaxy UGC 3664  

A prediscovery image shows the new object at mag 17.3 (image obtained by J. Newton on 2006 Mar. 5.15). No counterpart is visible on this position in a number of frames obtained by Tim Puckett from Oct. 2000 up to 2006, Feb. 7, down to limiting mag 19-19.5). Nothing is visible in the Palomar Sky Survey I and II plates.

A spectra is needed to understand the nature of this transient. Photometric follow-up is encouraged.

Cheers,
Giovanni Sostero (Remanzacco Observatory, Italy)