The Amazing Old Nova Q Cygni: A Far-Ultraviolet Synthetic Spectral Analysis
Abstract
Q Cygni (Nova Cygni 1876) is the third-oldest old novae (after WY Sge and V841 Oph), with a long orbital period of 10.08 hr and spectroscopic peculiarities in the optical, including the presence of variable wind outflow revealed by optical P Cygni profiles in the He i lines and Hαβ. We have carried out a synthetic spectral analysis of a far-ultraviolet IUE archival spectrum of Q Cygni using our optically thick, steady state, accretion disk models and model white dwarf photospheres. We find that the accretion light of a luminous accretion disk dominates the FUV flux of the hot component with a rate of accretion of 2-3 × 10-9 M⊙ yr-1. We find that Q Cygni lies at a distance of 741 ± 110 pc. The implications of our results for theoretical predictions for old novae are presented.
- Publication:
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Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Pub Date:
- August 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1086/661235
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1106.1562
- Bibcode:
- 2011PASP..123..892K
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- PASP, August 2011