Liverpool Telescope Spectroscopy of the Nova Eruption from V392 Persei

ATel #11601; M. J. Darnley (LJMU), C. M. Copperwheat (LJMU), E. J. Harvey (LJMU), M. W. Healy (LJMU)
on 3 May 2018; 15:58 UT
Credential Certification: Matt Darnley (M.J.Darnley@ljmu.ac.uk)

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Here we report Liverpool Telescope (LT; Steele et al. 2004) spectroscopy of the recent nova eruption (ATel #11588) from the known dwarf nova system V392 Per. A Fermi γ-ray detection of the eruption has also been reported (ATel #11590) along with additional photometry (ATel #11594). Additional information, including the discovery is available here, with additional spectroscopy reported here. The progenitor system of V392 Per is discussed in Darnley & Starrfield (2018, RNAAS, in press).

This spectrum was obtained by the FRODOSpec instrument (Barnsley et al. 2012) on the LT at 2018 May 02.86 UT. We utilised the low resolution mode (R=2600, blue arm 3900-5700Å - R=2200, red arm 5800-9400Å) of FRODOSpec, with an integration time of 5×60s for both arms.

The spectrum shows broad emission profiles from the following lines: Hα — Hδ (Hε is not detected), Paschen 10 — 14, He I (7281, 7065, 6678, 5875, 5016, 4471, 4388), O I (7773, 8446), Fe II (multiplet 42), Si II (6347/6371; multiplet 2). Lines from N II (5001), Fe II (multiplets 48 and 49) and Mg II (4481) are also tentatively identified. There are a number of lines that currently defy identification.

The FWHM of the Hα line is 4700±100 km/s, for Hβ 4200±100 km/s. The Balmer lines and the O I lines (and possibly the Fe II (42) lines) all show considerable structure within their profiles, with three (possibly five) individual peaks.

Due to its current position in the sky, this nova is only accessibly at around evening twilight. With the observability diminishing, additional follow-up observations are highly sought after!