  A bright Nova in Centaurus was discovered on Dec 2, 2013 at magnitude V=5.5.
Its luminosity reached mv=3.8 from Dec 5 to 7, becoming the brightest Nova of
2013 and of the last decades. On Dec 14 it brightened at mv=3.2. The
observations of the author contributed to the compilation of the IAU Circular
9265 which announced the Nova as V1369 Cen and are here described. The first
observations have been made with naked eye, and the use of same altitude
calibration stars of similar color allowed an accuracy within 0.1 magnitudes.
The method of selecting stars on the same almucantarat (altitude circle) even
farther than 20 degrees, reduces the effects of differential atmospheric
extinction. Its application is useful not only for bright Novae but also for
luminous variable stars like the supergiant Betelgeuse and Antares and some
bright Miras.

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics