PU Vulpeculae : the outburst of a symbiotic nova.

Abstract

We report the full history of PU Vulpeculae from outburst to 1991 as seen in its ultraviolet emission. We show that PU Vul is a symbiotic nova, which went into outburst in 1977 after a nova-like thermonuclear event. The outbursting object went first into an F supergiant phase. The spectrum evolved between 1979 and 1989 from F-type into that of Ao. In 1990 PU Vul entered the nebular phase, showing a rich emission line spectrum in the UV and in the optical. Between 1979 and 1983-1985 the luminosity of the outbursting object increased by approximately a factor of 2 against 2600 solar luminosities in 1979. It subsequently decreased to reach in 1989 approximately the same value as in 1979. During 1980 the lightcurve went through a minimum and the spectral appearance changed. We interpret this as an eclipse of the outbursting star by the M giant companion. Based on IUE observations we discuss the early nebular phase of PU Vul, and we show that the UV is still dominated by the outbursting component, which in 1991 has reached a temperature of 40,000 K.