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Nova Cas 2021, a ‘new star’ – a classical nova – discovered on 18 March 2021 in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia, has suddenly brightened in the past few days by around two magnitudes. It now shines at around magnitude +5.2, possibly within naked-eye range from a dark-sky UK location.
Nova Cas 2021 (V1405 Cas) has brightened by around two magnitudes in the past few days. The image on the left shows it on 5 May 2021 at 10:23 UT, while the one on the right, taken on 8 May 2021 at 10:03 UT, shows the recent outburst. Compare its brightness with the magnitude +6.6 star HIP 115691 to its lower-left (south-east). The open cluster Messier 52 is seen at the top of both frames. Both images have been cropped from the original. Images: Martin Mobberley.