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From: starrfie@hydro.la.asu.edu (Sumner Starrfield) Subject: Some thoughts on Nova Cas 93 Date: Sat, 18 Dec 93 10:43:02 MST Dear Colleagues: The visual observers have noticed a brightening in the optical for Nova Cas from about 6.5 to 5.3. Mark Wagner obtained some spectroscopic observations of this nova on 14, 15 Dec UT and received the strong impression that it had brightened from one night to the next. To me, this sounds like a "typical" pre maximum halt. The nova experiences an initial rise and then a slow rise of as much as two to three magnitudes over the next few days. This is the first nova to show such a rise in the last few years where we have been obtaining IUE data at the time of the rise. We will get IUE observations tonight: 19 Dec UT and implore multi wavelength spectroscopic and photometric observations over the next few days (at least!!) in hopes that we will finally obtain enough data to understand the cause of the pre-maximum halt. This is probably our last chance with IUE - which is very likely to be turned off in Sept 1994. All indications are that this nova is slow with a massive ejected shell. If it becomes sufficiently cool, we could observe molecules so IR data is very necessary. I mention molecules because Hauschildt, Allard, and I are now prepared to analyze molecules in nova atmospheres and they can provide both atomic abundances and isotopic abundances. With best regards for clear skies and a happy holiday season, Sumner
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