Nova V496 Scuti is still near maximum brightness at magnitude ~7.4. For the back story on this object check out my post from Nov 15: “Nova Scuti 2009 = V496 Scuti“.
The plot below was created by the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) from their archives. It includes 97 observations made by 33 observers from 13 countries. The blue crosses represent my own observations which were made visually with 30×125 binoculars. You can also check out Salvador Aguirre’s blog (in Spanish) for his observations of V496 Scuti.
The nova has been rather steady in its brightness for the past 5 days or so. Based on the data below, it’s possible it is still slowly brightening. Regardless, at some point in the next week or so, the nova should start to rapidly fade. I say should because some nova have been known to stay bright for weeks to months and even experience multiple outbursts.
The Transient Sky - Comets, Asteroids, Meteors 
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