Nova V606 Aquilae first observed

Background. A nova is a transient astronomical event causing the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently new star that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white dwarfs in close binary systems. V606 Aquilae was such a nova, lighting up in the constellation Aquila in 1899. Aquila is a constellation on the celestial equator.

Discovery. The nova was discovered by Williamina Fleming on a photographic plate, part of the Henry Draper Memorial Photographs, taken on 21 April 1899 at the Harvard College Observatory. It was not seen on a plate taken on 1 November 1898, and there were no reported observations of the region during the 171-day interval before Fleming's discovery, suggesting the actual maximum might have been missed.

Fading. V606 Aquilae is classified as a fast nova because it faded by at least 3 magnitudes in about 65 days. By 27 October 1899, it had faded to 10th magnitude. On 9 July 1900, Oliver Wendell reported its brightness to be between magnitude 11.5 and 12.0.