V842 Centauri

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V842 Centauri
V842CenLocation.png
Location of V842 Centauri (circled in red)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0        Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension 14h 35m 52.568s [1]
Declination −57° 37 35.39 [1]
Apparent magnitude  (V)18.5 (pre-nova) [2]
4.6 (max during nova) [3]
16.5 (2010) [2]
Characteristics
Variable type nova [3]
Astrometry
Distance 4498+391
−254
[4]   ly
(1379+120
−78
[4]   pc)
Absolute magnitude  (MV)−7.5 (max during nova) [3]
Details
Mass 0.88 [5]   M
Other designations
Nova Centauri 1986, AAVSO  1428-57, Gaia DR2 5891405647833287296
Database references
SIMBAD data
The light curve of V842 Centauri, plotted from AAVSO data V842CenLightCurve.png
The light curve of V842 Centauri, plotted from AAVSO data

V842 Centauri, also known as Nova Centauri 1986, was a nova which occurred in 1986 in the constellation Centaurus. It was discovered by Robert H. McNaught of Siding Spring Observatory in Australia, on 22 November 1986. At the time of its discovery, it had an apparent magnitude of 5.6. It reached a peak magnitude of 4.6 one and a half days later, making it easily visible to the naked eye. [6]

V842 Centauri is considered a moderately fast nova, having faded by 3 magnitudes after 48 days. [3] Near the end of 1986, and early in 1987, its light curve showed a sharp drop in brightness, caused by the formation of dust. This dramatic fading lasted only about 50 days, before the nova brightened by about 2.5 magnitudes. [7] By 2010, it had faded to magnitude 16.5, but was still 2 magnitudes brighter than before the nova eruption. [2]

From its shell's expansion velocity, it is estimated to be at a distance of 1.5 kpc (4900 light-years) from Earth. [8] Another method, based on the system's extinction rate, gives a similar distance of 1.65 ± 0.54 kpc. [9] It was observed by the Gaia spacecraft, which measured a distance of 1.38 (+0.120, -0.078) kpc. [4]

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. [5] 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. [8]

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. [10] However, two later studies revealed problems with this classification. [5] [2]

In 1995, observations with the 3.9 meter Anglo-Australian Telescope detected a very small (~1.5 arc second diameter) nova remnant shell surrounding V842 Centauri. [11] By March 1998 the shell had expanded to 5.6 × 6.0 arc seconds. [12]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">T Aurigae</span> Nova seen in 1891

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">CP Lacertae</span> 1936 Nova seen in the constellation Lacerta

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V476 Cygni or Nova Cygni 1920 was a nova which occurred in the constellation Cygnus in 1920. It was discovered by William Frederick Denning, an English amateur astronomer, at 09:30 GMT on 20 August 1920, at which time it had a magnitude of 3.7. It reached a peak brightness of magnitude 1.7 on 23 August 1920. Its quiescent brightness is magnitude 17.09.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V446 Herculis</span> 1960 Nova event in the constellation Hercules

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NQ Vulpeculae</span> 1976 Nova seen in the constellation Vulpecula

NQ Vulpeculae also known as Nova Vulpeculae 1976, was a nova that appeared in the constellation Vulpecula in 1976. It was discovered visually at 18:20 UT on October 21, 1976 by English amateur astronomer George Alcock. Its apparent magnitude at the time of discovery was 6.5 It reached its maximum brightness of magnitude 6.0 thirteen days after its discovery, at which point it may have been faintly visible to the naked eye. A few days after maximum brightness, it had faded to magnitude 8.3.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rho Centauri</span> Binary star system in the constellation Centaurus

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3 Centauri is a triple star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus, located approximately 300 light years from the Sun. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint, blue-white hued star with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 4.32. As of 2017, the two visible components had an angular separation of 7.851″ along a position angle of 106°. The system has the Bayer designation k Centauri; 3 Centauri is the Flamsteed designation. It is a suspected eclipsing binary with a variable star designation V983 Centauri.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Y Centauri</span> Variable star in the constellation Centaurus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">V1017 Sagittarii</span> Star in the constellation Sagittarius

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">V4743 Sagittarii</span> Nova that appeared in 2002

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">OS Andromedae</span> Nova event seen in 1986

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">V368 Aquilae</span> Nova seen in 1936

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">V1370 Aquilae</span> Nova that occurred in 1982

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References

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