Optical Spectroscopy of a Recent Nova in M31
ATel #2171; F. Di Mille (Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington / Anglo Australian Observatory), S. Ciroi (Padova University), H. Navasardyan (INAF Padova), M. Orio (INAF Padova, Uni. of Wisconsin), P. Rafanelli and A. Bianchini (Padova University)
on 21 Aug 2009; 21:28 UT
Credential Certification: Stefano Ciroi (stefano.ciroi@unipd.it)
We report observations of the nova in M31 at coordinates RA = 00h42m46.76, Dec = 41d15'37.3" (J2000, see ATEL #2165) performed with the AFOSC spectrograph and camera mounted at the 1.82m telescope of the Asiago Observatory.
A flux calibrated spectrum obtained in a 2700 sec exposure on August 19.93 UT (spectral range 380-770 nm; resolution 2.5 nm) confirms that this object is a classical nova in M31 in the early decline stage.
A single gaussian fit to the H_alpha and the H_beta lines gives a FWHM of 1300 km/s and 1000 km/s respectively. The strongest non-Balmer lines in the spectrum are FeII emission lines therefore this object, like the majority of spectrally classified novae in M31 (see the MPE nova catalog ), belongs to the FeII class (Williams R., 1992 AJ, 104, 725).
