V842 Centauri

V842 Centauri was a nova which occurred in 1986 in the constellation Centaurus and which reached a brightness of 4.6 mag. It is considered a moderately fast nova, having faded by 3 magnitudes after 48 days.[2] In 2010, it had faded to magnitude 16.5, but was still 2 magnitudes brighter than before the nova eruption.[1] From its shell's expansion velocity, it is estimated to be at a distance of 1.5 kpc (4900 light-years) from Earth.[3] Another method, based on the system's extinction rate, gives a similar distance of 1.65 ± 0.54 kpc.[5]

V842 Centauri
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension  14h 35m 52.55s
Declination −57° 37′ 35.3″
Apparent magnitude (V) 18.5 (pre-nova)[1]
4.6 (max during nova)[2]
16.5 (2010)[1]
Characteristics
Variable type nova[2]
Astrometry
Distance4900 ± 650 ly
(1500 ± 200[3] pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−7.5 (max during nova)[2]
Details
Mass0.88[4] M☉
Other designations
Nova Centauri 1986, AAVSO 1428-57
Database references
SIMBADdata

The mass of the white dwarf in V842 Centauri is estimated at 0.88 solar masses. The system is likely seem from a low inclination.[4] An expanding nebula has been detected around V842 Centauri, formed by material ejected during the nova. It has two components, with diameters of 3.6" and 10.6", corresponding to material with different densities and expansion velocities.[3]

A 2009 photometric study of V842 Centauri found a possible 57 seconds period in the system's light curve, which was interpreted as the white dwarf's rotation period. An orbital period of 3.94 hours was calculated from variations of this period. V842 Centauri was then classified as an intermediate polar, with the third fastest rotation period for a cataclismic system.[6] However, two later studies revealed problems with this classification.[4][1]

References
  1. Sion, Edward M.; Szkody, Paula; Mukadam, Anjum; Warner, Brian; et al. (August 2013). "Multiwavelength Photometry and Hubble Space Telescope Spectroscopy of the Old Nova V842 Centaurus". The Astrophysical Journal. 772 (2): 116. arXiv:1305.4564. Bibcode:2013ApJ...772..116S. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/772/2/116. Article 116.
  2. Whitelock, P. A. (1987). "Nova Cen 1986". Monthly Notes of the Astron. Soc. Southern Africa. 46: 72. Bibcode:1987MNSSA..46...72W.
  3. Tomov, T.; Swierczynski, E.; Mikolajewski, M.; Ilkiewicz, K. (April 2015). "SALT observations of southern post-novae". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 576: A119. arXiv:1502.03462. Bibcode:2015A&A...576A.119T. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201424709. A119.
  4. Luna, G. J. M.; Diaz, M. P.; Brickhouse, N. S.; Moraes, M. (June 2012). "XMM-Newton EPIC and OM observation of Nova Centauri 1986 (V842 Cen)". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 423 (1): L75–L78. arXiv:1203.4804. Bibcode:2012MNRAS.423L..75L. doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2012.01260.x.
  5. Özdönmez, Aykut; Güver, Tolga; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Ak, Tansel (September 2016). "The distances of the Galactic novae". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 461 (2): 1177–1201. arXiv:1606.01907. Bibcode:2016MNRAS.461.1177O. doi:10.1093/mnras/stw1362.
  6. Woudt, Patrick A.; Warner, Brian; Osborne, Julian; Page, Kim (June 2009). "57-second oscillations in Nova Centauri 1986 (V842 Cen)". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 395 (4): 2177–2182. arXiv:0902.4826. Bibcode:2009MNRAS.395.2177W. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.14668.x.
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