Confirmation of nova M31 2009-08d

ATel #2166; P. Rodríguez-Gil (ING, La Palma, Spain; IAC, Tenerife, Spain; Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife), R. Ferrando (Observatorio Astronómico de Segorbe, Spain), D Rodríguez (M-1 Group, Spain), M. F. Bode (Liverpool JMU, UK), A. Huxor (Bristol, UK), P. Giles (Bristol, UK), D. Mackey (Edinburgh, UK)
on 19 Aug 2009; 16:15 UT
Credential Certification: P. Rodriguez-Gil (prguez@ll.iac.es)

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We confirm the nova nature of the possible nova M31 2009-08d, discovered by Rafael Ferrando on UT 2009 Aug 15.0950 (discovery image at http://www.pla-de-arguines.com/NOVA-M31D.jpg ). Koichi Itagaki reported the same discovery on UT 2009 Aug 15.981 (http://www.supernovae.net/novae.html). A single, filterless image of 20-s exposure time taken on UT 2009 Aug 18.1430 with the ACAM imager/spectrograph on the 4.2m William Herschel Telescope (La Palma) reveals the object at coordinates RA=00h44m09.91s, Dec=+41d48m51.0s (J2000), as reported. A 600-s, low-resolution optical spectrum was obtained with ACAM immediately after the confirmation image, on UT 2009 Aug 18.1485. The VPH400 grism was used along with a 1.5 arcsec slit width. The spectrum is dominated by broad Balmer and FeII emission lines, with Halpha showing FWHM ~ 2000 km/s. Typical lines of OI, NI, MgII and CaII can also be seen, confirming the nova nature of the object. The spectrum is characteristic of a nova of the "FeII" class observed within a few days of maximum (see e.g. Williams, R. E., 1992, AJ, 104, 725). Such novae generally exhibit slower development than their "He/N" class counterparts.

WHT/ACAM confirmation image and spectrum of Nova M31 2009-08d