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arXiv · 2605.28771

Evolution of the dusty nova QY Mus from eruption to quiescence

Mohit Singh Bisht·A. Raj·F. M. Walter·D. Bisht·K. Belwal·S. Biswas
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Abstract

We present a comprehensive study of the spectrophotometric evolution of the classical nova QY Mus from eruption to quiescence. The light curve shows a notable dust dip, classifying it as a D (137)-type nova, with dust formation beginning at $\sim$123 days post-outburst and reaching a maximum optical depth of $\tau \sim 3.2$. We classify QY Mus as a slow nova with $t_2 = 87 \pm 6$ days, and derive an absolute magnitude of $M_V = -6.55 \pm 0.54$ using the MMRD relation. The spectroscopic evolution, traced from 94 to 1348 days, shows prominent P-Cygni profiles in Balmer and Fe II lines during the early decline, consistent with an Fe II-type nova. The transition to the nebular phase occurs around $\sim$233 days, marked by the emergence of [O III] emission. Photoionization modeling using \textsc{Cloudy} of 41 emission lines on day 590 yields a central source temperature of $(7.08 \pm 0.20)\times10^{5}$ K, with enhanced nitrogen and oxygen abundances and moderate neon enrichment, suggesting that QY Mus is not a neon nova. Mid-infrared WISE observations at $\sim$502 days indicate the presence of cool dust at $\sim$400 K. Using a Gaia-based color magnitude diagram constructed in this work for 34 quiescent novae, we find that QY Mus occupies a region consistent with systems hosting main-sequence or subgiant secondaries; its orbital period further supports a subgiant companion. These results establish QY Mus as a slow, dust-forming nova with well-characterized evolution and a subgiant secondary.

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Mohit Singh Bisht, A. Raj, F. M. Walter, D. Bisht, K. Belwal, S. Biswas. 2026-05-27. Evolution of the dusty nova QY Mus from eruption to quiescence. https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.28771

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