Multi-epoch radio observations of nova Mon 2012

Fiona Healy, T.J. O'Brien & R. Beswick

University of Manchester, UK

V959 Mon (Nova Mon 2012) was first detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope, as a gamma ray transient source. Subsequent optical observations detected the presence of a classical nova explosion in that region (Cheung et al. 2012b). Multi-frequency observations of Nova Mon 2012 with the VLA revealed dramatic brightening in the light curves, and a spectrum that steepened with increasing frequency (Chomiuk et al. 2014). e-MERLIN observations of Nova Mon 2012 have allowed high resolution images of the source to be produced, at epochs in September 2012, November 2012, February 2013, October 2013 and February 2014. A light curve at C-Band frequency has been produced which is in good agreement with those created using VLA observations. While early e-MERLIN observations of V959 Mon appear to show an East-West elongation in the ejecta morphology, subsequent observations show that the ejecta are now elongated in the North-South direction. I will discuss how our high-resolution observations of V959 Mon's morphology can assist us in further understanding the mechanisms of mass ejection from novae.

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