Nova Velorum 2025

Another naked-eye nova has appeared in the Southern skies in the constellation Vela, just northwest of the magnificent Eta Carinae nebula. I estimated its magnitude at 5.1. On the same night, the nova in Lupus was visible to the unaided eyes at magnitude 5.7. Two 5th-magnitude novae appearing being visible on the same night is exceptionally rare, and may not have happened in recorded history.

Canon 90D and 50-mm lens, iOptron tracker

Slightly cropped, and color corrected in Photoshop