A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The optical observations

0429426 - ASÚ 2015 RIV FR eng J - Journal Article
Darnley, M.J. - Williams, S.C. - Bode, M.F. - Henze, M. - Ness, J.-U. - Shafter, A.W. - Hornoch, Kamil - Votruba, Viktor
A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The optical observations.
Astronomy & Astrophysics. Roč. 563, March (2014), L9/1-L9/4. ISSN 0004-6361. E-ISSN 1432-0746
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT LG12001
Institutional support: RVO:67985815
Keywords : galaxies: individual: M 31 * novae * cataclysmic variables
Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics
Impact factor: 4.378, year: 2014

In this Letter we address the optical lightcurve and progenitor system of M 31N 2008-12a. Photometry of the 2013 eruption, combined with three previous eruptions, enabled construction of a template lightcurve of a very fast nova (t2(V)~=4 days). The archival data allowed recovery of the progenitor system in optical and near-UV data, indicating a red-giant secondary with bright accretion disk, or alternatively a system with a sub-giant secondary but dominated by a disk. The eruptions of M 31N 2008-12a, and a number of historic X-ray detections, indicate a unique system with a recurrence timescale of ~1 yr. This implies the presence of a very high-mass white dwarf and a high accretion rate. The recovered progenitor system is consistent with such an elevated rate of accretion. We encourage additional observations, especially towards the end of 2014.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0234539