[APML]: NGC 4478 "supernova"

["C. Hernandez" <herdel@sol.racsa.co.cr>]

Paul:

Yesterday you wrote:

>Hi: I took a CCD image tonight using a V band photometric filter.  It 
>shows a star around 14 mag 10 arcsec roughly north of the nucleus of 
>ngc 4478.  If you want the image, just ask.  It is in FITS format >BITPIX=32, 1 hour 
>exposure on a 16" telescope. I checked NGC 4478 in 
>Real Sky but the plate was saturated where the star is so I do not know 
>whether this is a foreground star or a supernova. 
>
>Paul Boltwood

You are right with your first interpretation of your image. The Variable
and Supernova Network list (VSNET) says that the object that triggered
the alarm is a common star from our own galaxy overimposed to NGC 4478.

Eric Shelton <shelton2@bellsouth.net> also says that he imaged 4478 and
compared it to a previous image taken  earlier and confirmed that the
"supernova" is an ordinary star that showed up in both  images.

Thank you for your interest and lets hope for a real one to come.

Clear skies,

Carlos Hernandez
Heredia, Costa Rica