Modeling the Light Curve of the Classical Nova v723 Cas
Abstract
On August 24th 1995, the classical nova v723 Cassiopeia (v723 Cas) experienced a sudden thermonuclear outburst, a process by which hydrogen-rich material is accreted onto the surface of a white dwarf and ignited. Observations of the binary system from the last decade suggest that v723 Cas is still emitting in the X-rays as a Super-Soft-Source (SSS). Consequently, it has been hypothesized that v723 Cas has evolved into a permanent SSS and thus has begun its approach to the Chandrasekhar limit. For this reason v723 Cas has been closely followed since its original eruption. Here we present photometric data over a span of seven years (2006 through 2013) taken with the 31” telescope at the National Undergraduate Research Observatory (NURO) in Flagstaff, Arizona. A photometric analysis of the data produced light curves in the optical bands. Modeling of the binary system was also performed using the eclipsing binary star simulator Nightfall for comparison with observations. The data analyzed here reveal an asymmetric light curve, the overall structure of which exhibits a subtle variation in magnitude from year to year.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #223
- Pub Date:
- January 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014AAS...22315408L