how to find a nova

Do not immediately view the nova at high power. You won't know what you're looking at. You might just assume it is a regular star. The point here is view at low power and compare the brightness to nearby stars.

On the evening of 16 August 2013, the nova was around the same brightness as 29 Vulpecula, which is magnitude 4.8. Maybe a hair brighter.

It is unclear, at this stage if the nova is brightening or dimming.

If you want your go-to telescope to position very near the nova, slew to HR 7811 aka HD 194577 or SAO 88664 or HIP 100754. That's a suspected variable star around magnitude 5.7. It is 48 arc-minutes approximately from the nova.

It is easily viewed with binoculars in city limits. The nova should be visible to the naked eye in dark skies.

If star hopping with binoculars, may I suggest the following:

• start at the head of the Dolphin
• locate the stars at top of the head (alpha) and the bottom (delta)
• form an imaginary line from delta to alpha (which is north-west)
• continue this line from delta through alpha (which should be essentially up in binoculars or naked eye)
• continue about one binocular field
• continue until the edge of the binocular field just shows alpha
• you should notice 29 Vul to the left (east) with a faint star above it (north)
• you should notice a bright star on the right (west) with a faint star above it
• curiously, 29 Vul and it's faint star and the nova and it's faint star are nearly parallel and similar distances from one another
• note the little mini "Orion" or "H" shape of stars below (south) of 29 and the nova
• the bright star on the right is not on a chart (at this current brightness); that's the nova!
• say "woo hoo!"

Happy hunting.