Darnley, MJ, Williams, SC, Bode, MF, Henze, M, Ness, J-U, Shafter, AW, Hornoch, K and Votruba, V (2014) A remarkable recurrent nova in M 31: The optical observations. ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS, 563. ISSN 0004-6361

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Abstract

Context. In late November 2013 a fifth eruption in five years of the M31 recurrent nova M31N 2008-12a was announced.
Aims. In this Letter we address the optical lightcurve and progenitor system of M31N 2008-12a.
Methods. Optical imaging data of the 2013 eruption from the Liverpool Telescope, La Palma, and Danish 1.54m Telescope, La Silla, and archival Hubble Space Telescope near-IR, optical and near-UV data are astrometrically and photometrically analysed.
Results. 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.
Conclusions. The eruptions of M31N 2008-12a, and a number of historic X-ray detections, indicate a unique system with a recurrence timescale of � 1 year. 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.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Astrophysics Research Institute
Publisher:	EDP SCIENCES S A
Related URLs:	Author
Date Deposited:	12 Sep 2016 08:32
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 12:32
DOI or ID number:	10.1051/0004-6361/201423411
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/4129

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