Related papers: Discovery of multiple shells around V838 Monocerot…

We present photometric and high- and low-resolution spectroscopic observations of the unusual outburst of V838 Mon. The data were collected at the NAO Rozhen, Bulgaria and at the Torun Observatory, Poland. Analysis of the peculiar behavior…

In early 2002 V838 Monocerotis had an extraordinary outburst whose nature is still unclear. The optical light curve showed at least three peaks and imaging revealed a light echo around the object - evidence for a dust shell which was…

The planets capture model for the eruption of V838 Mon is discussed. We used three methods to estimate the location where the planets were consumed. There is a nice consistency for the results of the three different methods, and we find…

We present multi-epoch observations with the VLBA of SiO maser emission in the v=1, J=1-0 transition at 43 GHz from the remnant of the red nova V838 Mon. We model the positions of maser spots to derive a parallax of 0.166+/-0.060 mas.…

One of the hypothesis to explain the outburst of V838 Mon is the engulfment of planets. More than 170 extrasolar planets were discovered in the past years. Their properties and the characteristics of their host stars can be used to evaluate…

We investigate the structure of a field around the position of V838 Mon as seen in the lowest CO rotational transitions. We also measure and analyse emission in the same lines at the position of V838 Mon.Observations have primarily been…

Following the outburst of the unusual variable star V838 Monocerotis in 2002, a spectacular light echo appeared. A light echo provides the possibility of direct geometric distance determination, because it should contain a ring of highly…

We present the results of modelling the 0.45--1 micron spectral energy distribution of V838 Mon for 2002 November. Synthetic spectra were calculated using the NextGen model atmospheres of Hauschildt et al. (1999), which incorporate line…

After having presented a theoretical outline of the light echo phenomenon and results of simple numerical simulations we study the available images of the light echo in V838 Mon obtained with HST. From an analysis of the observed expansion…

We report on the detection of 43 GHz SiO maser emission in V838 Mon, a prototype of a new class of eruptive variables, in which a red supergiant was formed after the nova-like eruption in 2002. The detection of SiO masers indicates that the…

We propose that the energy source of the outburst of V838 Mon and similar objects is an accretion event, i.e., gravitational energy rather than thermonuclear runaway. We show that the merger of two main sequence stars, of masses 1.5 Mo and…

We discuss various models and scenarios proposed to explain the nature of the V838 Mon type eruptions. In this class of eruptive objects we include: M31 RV (erupted in 1988), V4332 Sgr (erupted in 1994) and V838 Mon (erupted in 2002). We…

We present the results of our polarimetric and spectropolarimetric monitoring of V838 Monocerotis, performed at Asiago and Crimean observatories during and after the multiple outbursts that occurred in January-March 2002. The polarization…

We describe the results of fitting simple spherically symmetric models to the first overtone CO and AlO A-X (2-0) bands in V838 Mon. We find that the temperature and column of both CO and AlO systematically decline over the period 2002…

During the last two years we have used the Palomar Testbed Interferometer to observe several explosive variable stars, including V838 Monocerotis, V1663 Aquilae and recently RS Ophiuchi. We observed V838 Monocerotis approximately 34 months…

V838 Mon is the prototype of a new class of objects. Understanding the nature of its multi-stage outburst and similar systems is challenging. So far, several scenarios have been invoked to explain this group of stars. In this work, the…

V838 Mon has undergone one of the most mysterious stellar outbursts on record, with (a) a large amplitude (Delta B ~ 10 mag) and multi-maxima photometric pattern, (b) a cool spectral type at maximum becoming cooler and cooler with time…

We present observations of V838 Mon and its close vicinity in the three lowest rotational transitions of CO. The J = 2-1 and 3-2 data were obtained using the 3 m KOSMA telescope. They include on-the-fly maps covering a large area (~3.4 sq.…

We report on recent near-IR observations of V4332 Sgr - the nova-like variable that erupted in 1994. Its rapid, post-outburst evolution to a cool M type giant/supergiant, soon after its outburst, had showed that it was an unusual object…

We discuss the main observational facts on the eruption of V838 Monocerotis in terms of possible outburst mechanisms. We conclude that the stellar merger scenario is the only one, which can consistently explain the observations.