Spectroscopic confirmation of M31N 2012-01a
ATel #3851; Y. Cao (Caltech), M. M. Kasliwal (Carnegie Institute for Science & Princeton University) and N. J. Chanover (New Mexico State University)
on 7 Jan 2012; 20:38 UT
Credential Certification: Yi Cao (smartcaoyi@gmail.com)
We report a spectrum of a recent nova candidate M31N 2012-01a=PTF12js
(ATel #3846) that was obtained with the Dual Image Spectrograph on the
3.5-m telescope at the Apache Point observatory on Jan 7.06, 2012. In the
spectrum, we see a blue continuum component superposed by prominent Balmer
series, He 4686, Na D and O I 8447 and 7773 lines with Fe emission features
at 5000-5300~\AA. All emission lines have P-Cygni profiles. For the
H-alpha line, the emission peaks at 6556~\AA and the absorption peaks at 6538~\AA.
Consistent with ATel#3850, these features confirm PTF12js as an Fe II class
nova in M31.
We thank Suzanne Hawley for facilitating target of opportunity observations.
