Spectroscopic Confirmation and Classification of PNV J09555123+6901482 as a Luminous Fe II Nova in M81
ATel #4813; A. W. Shafter (SDSU), K. Hornoch (Astronomical Institute, Ondrejov, Czech Republic), R. Ciardullo (PSU), M. J. Darnley, M. F. Bode (Liverpool JMU)
on 15 Feb 2013; 00:09 UT
Credential Certification: Allen W. Shafter (aws@nova.sdsu.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Nova, Transient
Referred to by ATel #: 4844
We report spectroscopic observations of the bright M81 transient and nova candidate PNV J09555123+6901482 (tentatively identified as M81N 2013-02a) discovered on 2013 Feb. 06.990 UT by K. Hornoch and J. Vrastil at R = 18.2 +/- 0.1 (ATel #4794). Subsequent photometry shows that the object is fading slowly with R = 18.3 +/- 0.1, R = 18.3 +/- 0.1, and R = 18.7 +/- 0.15 on 2013 Feb. 7.833, 8.742, and 10.976 UT, respectively.
At our request, a spectrum (410–900 nm) was obtained by J. Caldwell with the 9.2m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (+ Marcario Low-Resolution Spectrograph) on 2013 Feb. 14.30 UT (approximately a week post-discovery). The spectrum (see link below) is dominated by strong and relatively narrow Balmer and Fe II emission features (FWHM Hα ~ 1500 km/s), superimposed on a flat continuum. These observations confirm that PNV J09555123+6901482 is a nova in M81, and that it is a member of the Fe II spectroscopic class. A.W.S. thanks the NSF for support through AST-1009566.
HET Spectra of Extragalactic Novae
