TNS Classification Report No. 23165 [ 2026TNSCR.991....1M ]
Date Received (UTC): 2026-03-09 10:34:11 Sender: Moses Mlangeni
Group: BlackGEM
Moses Mlangeni (UCT/SAAO), Paul Groot (Radboud/UCT/SAAO), Simone Scaringi (Durham), Victor Moloi (UCT/SAAO), Gavin Ramsay (Armagh), Nadia Blagorodnova (ICCUB), report/s a classification of object: AT 2026fbz
Type: NovaRedshift: 0.00087
Remarks: We obtained an optical spectrum of AT2026fbz on 2026-03-08T 18:07:42 UTC ~15 minutes after it was reported to the TNS by ASAS-SN using the Lesedi 1.0-m telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) equipped with the Mookodi spectrograph. The data was reduced with Mookodi spectroscopic pipeline, and the resulting spectrum was analysed with SNID-Sage to extract a redshift of z = 0.00087, which is consistent with redshift measurements of the LMC. The spectrum shows prominent Balmer emission lines, including Hα, Hβ, and Hγ, together with several metal lines characteristic of early-time nova spectra. In particular, we identify Fe II emission lines at 4924 Å, 5018 Å, and 5169 Å, as well as He I emission at 5876 Å and 7065 Å. Additional emission features consistent with N III near 4638 Å and O I at 7773 Å are also present. The presence of strong Balmer emission lines together with Fe II multiplet lines suggests that the transient is consistent with a classical nova in the LMC. We therefore classify AT2026fbz as a classical nova in the LMC with hybrid (Fe II / He–N) spectral characteristics, observed at an early stage of its eruption.
The following Classification spectrum was provided:
Obsdate: 2026-03-08 18:07:42
Instrument: Mookodi
Telescope: Lesedi 1m
Remarks: The spectrum shows prominent Balmer emission lines, including Hα, Hβ, and Hγ, together with several metal lines characteristic of early-time nova spectra. In particular, we identify Fe II emission lines at 4924 Å, 5018 Å, and 5169 Å, as well as He I emission at 5876 Å and 7065 Å. Additional emission features consistent with N III near 4638 Å and O I at 7773 Å are also present.
Details of the object and its spectra can be viewed here: https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2026fbz
Date Received (UTC): 2026-03-09 10:34:11 Sender: Moses Mlangeni
Group: BlackGEM
Moses Mlangeni (UCT/SAAO), Paul Groot (Radboud/UCT/SAAO), Simone Scaringi (Durham), Victor Moloi (UCT/SAAO), Gavin Ramsay (Armagh), Nadia Blagorodnova (ICCUB), report/s a classification of object: AT 2026fbz
Type: NovaRedshift: 0.00087
Remarks: We obtained an optical spectrum of AT2026fbz on 2026-03-08T 18:07:42 UTC ~15 minutes after it was reported to the TNS by ASAS-SN using the Lesedi 1.0-m telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) equipped with the Mookodi spectrograph. The data was reduced with Mookodi spectroscopic pipeline, and the resulting spectrum was analysed with SNID-Sage to extract a redshift of z = 0.00087, which is consistent with redshift measurements of the LMC. The spectrum shows prominent Balmer emission lines, including Hα, Hβ, and Hγ, together with several metal lines characteristic of early-time nova spectra. In particular, we identify Fe II emission lines at 4924 Å, 5018 Å, and 5169 Å, as well as He I emission at 5876 Å and 7065 Å. Additional emission features consistent with N III near 4638 Å and O I at 7773 Å are also present. The presence of strong Balmer emission lines together with Fe II multiplet lines suggests that the transient is consistent with a classical nova in the LMC. We therefore classify AT2026fbz as a classical nova in the LMC with hybrid (Fe II / He–N) spectral characteristics, observed at an early stage of its eruption.
The following Classification spectrum was provided:
Obsdate: 2026-03-08 18:07:42
Instrument: Mookodi
Telescope: Lesedi 1m
Remarks: The spectrum shows prominent Balmer emission lines, including Hα, Hβ, and Hγ, together with several metal lines characteristic of early-time nova spectra. In particular, we identify Fe II emission lines at 4924 Å, 5018 Å, and 5169 Å, as well as He I emission at 5876 Å and 7065 Å. Additional emission features consistent with N III near 4638 Å and O I at 7773 Å are also present.
Details of the object and its spectra can be viewed here: https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2026fbz