It was discovered on December 2, 2013 by amateur astronomer John Seach in Australia with a magnitude of 5.5.

[5][6] On December 14, 2013 it peaked at about magnitude 3.3, making it the brightest nova so far of this millennium.

[8] The nova continued to brighten in gamma-rays and the peak coincided with the second optical maximum on 11 December 2013.

[9] The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission detected X-ray emission from Nova Centauri 2013 on 18 and 25 February 2014 and 8 March 2014.

[10] In July 2015 it was announced that lithium had been detected in material ejected from Nova Centauri 2013.