Photometry and spectroscopy of FeII nova ASASSN-17hx, finally passing through maximum
ATel #10572; U. Munari (INAF Padova), F.-J. Hambsch, A. Frigo, F. Castellani (ANS Collaboration),G. La Mura (Univ. Padova), G. Traven (Univ. Ljubljana), M. Ozbey Arabaci, T. Saguner (Ataturk Univ.)
on 13 Jul 2017; 10:08 UT
Credential Certification: U. Munari (ulisse.munari@oapd.inaf.it)
More than two weeks past its discovery, nova ASASSN-17hx has finally
reached what appears to be its peak optical brightness. Announced as a
candidate nova on June 23.7 UT (ATel #10523), we begun daily photometric
monitoring of ASASSN-17hx on June 24.07 UT when we measured V=12.39,
B-V=+0.72, V-I=+1.19. After a monotonic - although structured - rise toward
maximum, peak brightness has been reached at V=10.90, B-V=+0.85 on June 10,
followed by a slow decline.
We are collecting high and low resolution spectroscopic observations of
ASASSN-17hx with several telescopes over the 3200-9100 Ang range: Asiago
1.82m and 1.22m, Varese 0.6m, and Tubitak 1.5m. Spectra recorded around
peak brightness shows a textbook example of a FeII nova, with prominent
emission from Balmer and Paschen series, FeII (strongest multiplets 27, 38,
42, 48, 49, 74), Si II, OI (7772, 8446) and CaII far-red triplet (8498,
8542, 8662 Ang). All lines are flanked by structured P-Cyg absorptions of a
width varying with the ion and multiplet. They appear sharpest for FeII
multiplet 42, for which on July 11.87 UT we measured the strongest
absorption components at -451, -359 and -285 km/s heliocentric velocity,
with the emission component at +11 km/s and FWHM=265 km/s. From the
equivalent width of the diffuse interstellar band at 6614 Ang we derive a
reddening E(B-V)=0.68 following the calibration by Munari (2014, ASPC 490,
183), well matched by the E(B-V)=0.62 implied by the B-V color at maximum
when compared with the mean intrinsic value for novae by van den Bergh and
Younger (1987, A&AS 70, 125). Interstellar lines from NaI appear as a
saturated blend of several individual and unresolved components. Other
interstellar absorptions present in our spectra include CaI, CaII, CH+, KI
and several DIBs.
Soon after discovery, ASASSN-17hx was spectroscopically classified as an
He/N type by Kurtenkov et al. (ATel #10527) from low resolution spectra
obtained on June 24.0 UT. At that time the nova was still on the fireball
rise toward maximum, about ~1.5 mag away, and thus much hotter than at peak
brightness. As it happened for Nova Oph 2015 (Atel #7367), there seems to be
no anomalous change in the spectral type of ASASSN-17hx. It is a FeII type,
and while cooling toward maximum it passed through temperatures
characteristic of He/N novae, as it would be observed for all FeII novae if
spectra of them were secured well before maximum. Our spectra of
ASASSN-17hx, taken at different epochs during the rise to maximum, show the
gradual weakening of Helium lines and the parallel emergence and
reinforcement of FeII (see also ATel #10558), mirroring the cooling of the
B-V color.
