Spectroscopic Classification of ASASSN-15th as an Fe II-type Nova in M33
ATel #8352; R. M. Wagner, M. Fausnaugh, K. Stanek (OSU), J. L. Prieto (UDP; MAS)
on 2 Dec 2015; 08:37 UT
Credential Certification: Jose L. Prieto (jose.prietok@mail.udp.cl)
Subjects: Optical, Nova, Transient
Referred to by ATel #: 8396
We obtained a low-resolution optical spectrum of ASASSN-15th (ATel #8349) on UT December 2.3 with OSMOS mounted on the MDM 2.4m telescope. The spectrum shows Balmer, Fe II (multiplets 42, 48, 49, and 74), and Na I D emission lines exhibiting P Cygni-type line profiles superposed on a blue continuum. After correcting for the redshift of M33 (z=-0.000607, Karachentsev et al. 2013, AJ, 145, 101), we measure a terminal velocity of the H-alpha absorption of -3500 km/s. The FWHM of the H-alpha Gaussian emission component is about 2580 km/s so the average expansion velocity is about 1290 km/s. The spectrum is consistent with an Fe II-type nova in M33 caught early.
Optical spectrum of ASASSN-15th
