Absolute Magnitudes and Distances of Recent Novae

Volume 38 number 2 (2010)

Yitping Kok

Abstract

Using photometric data from the American Association of Variable Star Observers, peak absolute magnitudes and distances of some novae discovered in 2009 were calculated using the maximum-magnitude-rate-of-decline (MMRD) relationship. As these novae were only discovered recently, their distances have not been reported using any other method. In view of this, several older novae have been subjected to similar MMRD analysis. Their distances were then compared with other published work which used different methods of estimation. The distances found in this work correlate well, thus giving confidence in the estimates for the recent novae and the MMRD analysis.