A new multi-epoch H \alpha imaging study of M101 ( NGC 5457 ) has been carried out as part of a larger campaign to study the rate and stellar population of extragalactic novae .
The survey yielded a total of 13 nova detections from 10 epochs of M101 observations spanning a three year period .
After correcting for the temporal coverage and survey completeness , a global nova rate of 11.7 ^ { +1.9 } _ { -1.5 } yr ^ { -1 } is found .
This value corresponds to a luminosity-specific nova rate of 1.23 \pm 0.27 novae per year per 10 ^ { 10 } ~ { } L _ { \odot,K } when the K luminosity is derived from the B - K color , or 1.94 \pm 0.42 novae per year per 10 ^ { 10 } ~ { } L _ { \odot,K } when the K magnitude from the Two Micron All Sky Survey is used .
These values are consistent with previous estimates by Shafter et al .
that were based on more limited data .
The spatial distribution of the combined nova sample from the present survey and from the earlier Shafter et al .
survey shows that the specific frequency of novae closely follows the integrated background light of the galaxy .