iPTF discovery and classification of a Classical Nova in M31
S. Tang (Caltech/UCSB), Y. Cao (Caltech), M. M. Kasliwal (Carnegie/Princeton), S. B. Cenko (Goddard), I. Shivvers (UC Berkeley) and B. E. Tucker (ANU/UC Berkeley) on behalf of iPTF collaboration
The intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (ATel #4807, ATel #4808) report discovery of a nova candidate in M31, iPTF13buk, at RA = 00:42:09.45, Dec = +40:55:21.6. This optical transient was first detected on 2013 June 6.45 (UT) at magnitude r=20.2 mag; nothing was there at this location before that (including nightly observations from May 28 to June 5 UT), at limiting magnitude ~20.5 in r. It slowly brightened up to r=18.1 mag on June 20.4, and declined to r=19.2 mag on June 28.4. Spectroscopic follow-up were performed with the Lick 3m KAST Spectrograph on June 16 UT, and with the Dual Imaging Spectrograph (DIS) on the 3.5-m ARC telescope at Apache Point Observatory on June 27 UT. The Lick spectrum shows a relatively featureless continuum with narrow Halpha emission (FWHM<1000 km/s). The APO spectrum shows strong emission lines, such as Balmer series, Ca II IR triplet, OI 7773, OI 8447, and Fe bands between 5000 and 5500 Angstrom; the FWHM of Halpha is about 700 km/s. We classify this as a slow classical nova.
optical,nova,transient