On 2000 April 28 Kesao Takamizawa of Japan reported an apparent nova at mag 10 later positioned at RA 18h 52m 03.6s Dec -01o 28' 38.9"[E2000.0] which closely agrees with Nova Aql 1917 i.e CI Aql [mv 11-15] in outburst.
2000 June 8: Surprisingly bright - I thought it may have been a WR star in the field! - a short 20s exposure records its spectra. Longer 60s to 3m exposures record its complexity even at lo-res 4nm/pixel dispersion. Ha is the strongest emission line with OIII duo [planetary lines] and may be He in blue which is not common to either planetary nebula PK51+9.1 or Nova Aql'99[2] shown here. Hb seems common all these spectra.