  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} per year is found. This value corresponds to a
luminosity-specific nova rate of 1.23\pm0.27 novae per year per 10^{10}
L_{\sun,K} when the K luminosity is derived from the B-K color, or 1.94\pm0.42
novae per year per 10^{10} L_{\sun,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.
