Spectroscopic confirmation and photometry of the nova candidate M31N 2016-08e

ATel #9443; S. Fabrika, O. Sholukhova, A. F. Valeev (SAO RAS), M. J. Darnley (LJMU), M. Henze (CSIC-IEEC), K. Hornoch (Ondrejov), S. C. Williams (Lancaster), K. Chinetti (Caltech), A. W. Shafter (SDSU)
on 1 Sep 2016; 12:40 UT
Credential Certification: Sergei Fabrika (fabrika@sao.ru)

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We report the optical spectroscopic confirmation of the recent M31 nova candidate M31N 2016-08e (= PNV J00435329+4126216) discovered on 2016 Aug. 30.667 UT by K. Nishiyama and F. Kabashima and independently on Aug. 30.820 UT by K. Hornoch and H. Kucakova (see ATel #9431).

The spectral data were obtained on 2016 Aug. 30.92 UT (red range) and on Aug. 31.04 UT (blue range) using the Russian BTA telescope equipped with the SCORPIO spectrograph. The red spectrum was taken with a spectral resolution of 5.0 Å in the spectral range of 4050 - 5850 Å, the blue spectrum was taken with a resolution of 5.3 Å in the 4050 - 5850 Å range. An additional confirmation spectrum was also taken using the SPRAT spectrograph on the Liverpool Telescope on 2016 Aug. 31.14 UT with a spectral range of 4000 - 8000 Å and resolution of 18 Å.

Photometry of the nova obtained shortly prior to the BTA spectrum with the same device gave B = 18.69 ± 0.05, V = 18.58 ± 0.04, R = 18.50 ± 0.05.

The nova shows Balmer emission lines, numerous Fe II lines, Mg II (4481 Å), Si II lines and several N II lines. The Balmer lines show P Cyg profiles, the same in the strongest Fe II lines and in the Mg II line. The clearest P Cyg profile is observed in the H-beta line, the difference between its center of gravity and the blue edge of the P Cyg is about 1200 km/s. The width of the H-beta emission component (FWHM) corresponds to 540 km/s, in H-alpha it is 240 km/s (the widths were corrected for spectral resolution). The H-alpha line is narrower probably because of a contamination of nebular lines. We also observe [NII] 6548, 6583 Å and [SII] 6716, 6730 Å emission lines around the nova. In all Balmer lines we find strong red wings. In the H-beta and H-alpha lines the wing is extended to 900 km/s from the line peak. We conclude that the nova belongs to the Fe II taxonomic class type.