Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 3270: N Cyg 1978
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Circular No. 3270
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM Telephone 617-864-5758
NOVA CYGNI 1978
G. Klare and B. Wolf, Landessternwarte Heidelberg, telex:
"Spectrograms (dispersion 44 A/mm) were obtained in the blue
(3850-5030 A) and red (5650-6750 A) spectral regions on Sept. 13.80
and 13.84, respectively. The spectrum exhibits a strong continuum
with many absorption lines. The Balmer lines, Fe II, Ti II, Si II,
O I and Na D lines show P-Cyg characteristics. The absorption components
are displaced by -1060 km/s. The Ca II K line is observed
in absorption only and shows the same displacement. The total line
width of the P-Cyg line profiles indicates a maximum velocity of
1400 km/s. The nova is still at an early evolutionary stage."
A. Altamore, Istituto Osservatorio Astronomico Universita' di
Roma; R. Viotti, Laboratorio di Astrofisica Spaziale, Frascati; and
G. B. Baratta, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, telex: "Nova Cyg
1978 was observed on Sept. 12.0 and 14.0 UT with the Schmidt telescope
of the Rome Astronomical Observatory at Campo Imperatore.
Several objective-prism spectrograms were obtained on IIa-O and I-N
emulsions. The Sept. 12 spectrograms are overexposed, and only a
few features are detectable: Balmer H10 and H11 in emission, Ca II
3933 A, 3968 A and a strong structure at 3920 A (probably Mg I 3838 A)
in absorption. The Sept. 14 spectrum shows broad Balmer emission
lines from H-alpha to H11. Fe II blends (4450-4620, 4210-4310,
4140-4190 A) are strong in emission. In absorption there are present:
Ca II 3933 A, 3968 A with a violet shift of about 15 A; Ca I 4227 A
and the probable Mg I 3838 A. The ultraviolet continuum is strong."
J. Krautter, Landessternwarte Heidelberg, communicates polarization
data, obtained on Sept. 13.80 UT, as follows: P = 1.59 +/-
0.02 percent, theta(equatorial) = 37o.8 +/- 0o.4. A comparison with the
polarization angle of the star HD 204710 (separated from the nova
by about 2o), theta = 36o.0, indicates an interstellar origin of the
polarization.
Visual magnitude estimates: Sept. 16.16 UT, 6.5 (P. Goodwin,
Shreveport, Louisiana); 16.17, 7.2 (J. Morgan, Prescott, Arizona);
17.12, 6.9 (C. Hurless, Lima, Ohio); 17.16, 7.5 (J. Bortle, Brooks
Observatory); 18.10, 7.0 (D. Wallentinsen, Albuquerque, New Mexico);
18.11, 7.3 (P. L. Collins, Mount Hopkins Observatory).
Corrigenda. On IAUC 3264, the address of K. Beckman should
read Washington, Missouri (not Montana). On IAUC 3268, the name of
the observer at Munich should read Stolz (not Stelz).
1978 September 19 (3270) Brian G. Marsden
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