SOAR spectroscopic confirmation of a new eruption of the recurrent nova V3890 Sgr

ATel #13047; J. Strader, L. Chomiuk, E. Aydi, A. Kawash, J. Miller, K. V. Sokolovsky, S. Swihart (MSU), K. Stanek, C. Kochanek (OSU), B. Shappee (Hawaii)
on 28 Aug 2019; 00:47 UT
Credential Certification: Jay Strader (strader@pa.msu.edu)

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A new eruption of the recurrent nova V3890 Sgr was reported by A. Pereira as of UT 2019-08-27.87. We obtained spectra of V3890 Sgr with the Goodman Spectrograph on the SOAR telescope on UT 2019-08-27.98. The spectra show very broad P Cygni profiles of H I and He I lines and perhaps He II, N III, and Na lines as well. The absorption trough of H-alpha extends to at least 4200 km/s from the center of the emission component. This confirms a new nova outburst of the recurrent nova V3890 Sgr, the first since 1990.

V3890 Sgr was observed by the ASAS-SN survey over the last day, including a data point at UT 2019-08-27.05 where it was at its recent quiescent magnitude, and a point at UT 2019-08-27.75 where a magnitude is not reported. Inspection of the image suggests this is because the source was saturated. Hence the nova is very likely to have occurred between these two observations, and this first spectroscopy of the nova took place less than 1 day after the nova. This field is frequently observed by astronomers, and additional observations that better constrain the rise time of the nova may yet emerge.

Follow-up observations are strongly encouraged.