125-Day Spectral Record of the Bright Nova Delphini 2013 (V339 Del)

Volume 42 number 1 (2014)

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HOward D. Mooers

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812; send email correspondence to hmooers@d.umn.edu

William S. Wiethoff

SOLO Observatory, P. O. Box 88, Port Wing, WI 54865

Abstract

A 125-day spectral record of the evolution of Nova Delphini 2013 (V339 Del), which erupted on August 14, 2013, is presented. Spectra were acquired with a low-resolution 100 line per millimeter grating. Records were acquired beginning one day after discovery and a total of forty-four spectra were analyzed. Despite the low resolution, major phases of evolution of this accreting-white-dwarf nova were recorded. These phases can be readily identified by the oxygen, iron, and nitrogen emission spectra within the range of most commercially available astronomical cameras (e.g. CCD and DSLR).