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[Al Degutis]

The IAU reports a newly discovered nova in Sagittarius.

NOVA SAGITTARII 2005 No. 2
W. Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, reports his discovery of an
apparent nova (mag approximately 8.0) on two red photographs taken on July 4.049 UT (85-mm camera lens + Technical Pan film + deep orange filter), the new object appearing at R.A. = 18h17m.9, Decl. = -30o27' (equinox 2000.0); nothing was visible at this location on films taken by Liller on June 12 (limiting mag about 11.0). Liller adds that an unfiltered CCD image taken on July 5.085 shows the nova at mag 7.2, and that a spectrum taken at July 5.099 shows H_alpha peaking at about 2.1 times the brightness of the nearby continuum; its FWHM is approximately 970 km/s, while the expansion velocity derived from the sharp P-Cyg line is approximately 1300
km/s.

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What a great astronomical time. SuperNova, Nova, comet smashing, active sunspots... now all we need is a good naked eye comet and mid-latitude auroral display to round out the month. ;D

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

To echo Al's sentiment..

It is certainly a golden time to be alive and experiencing discoveries in the space/astronomical field.

During my blink of a lifetime, I have been around to witness man walking on the moon, two space stations in orbit, a grand tour of the planets by the Pioneers and the Voyagers, 2 Vikings on Mars and later the three rovers, the birth of the Shuttles, a comet punched, a venus transit, a five and three planet conjunction, two great comets and a whole lot more. (Although I was around since the first manned missions, Mercury, Gemini & Apollo, I don't recall most of them.)

What other period of such short time (40 years), in our meager history can this be said of?

It is good...