Vend85: quite bright possible nova in M31

I've just found a fairly bright (~17.7 mag) possible nova on my recent M31 images made with the 0.43 CDK of Alnitak Remote Observatory on July 20.1813UT. Nothing was visible at this position on my 4×120 s images obtained with the 0.61-m CDK telescope at Sierra Remote Observatory, Auberry, California (iTelescope.net), on 2026 July 16.4384 UT, with a limiting magnitude of approximately 19.2C.

The discovery of Vend85 has been reported to TOCP website as PNV J00425536+4117270 and to the TNS server as AT 2026vdo.

Updated preliminary co-ordinates of Vend85: 00 42 55.97 +41 17 32.44 (J2000.0)

The discovery image with reference subtracted.

 The discovery image.

The discovery was made using the Alnitak Remote Observatories robotic telescope network, ARTA program.