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We present Hubble Space Telescope optical images, Keck-OSIRIS near-infrared (NIR) integral field spectroscopy data cubes and Keck-Near InfraRed Camera-2 (NIRC2) NIR images of nova V5668 Sgr from 2016 to 2019. The observations indicate enhanced emission at the polar caps and equatorial torus for low-ionization lines, and enhanced high-ionization emission lines only at the polar caps. The radial velocities are compatible with a homogeneous expansion velocity of v = 590 km s−1 and a system inclination angle of 24°. These values were used to estimate an expansion parallax distance of 1200 ± 400 pc. The NIRC2 data indicate the presence of dust in 2016 and 2017, but no dust emission could be detected in 2019. The observational data were used for assembling 3D photoionization models of the ejecta. The model results indicate that the central source has a temperature of 1.88 × 105 K and a luminosity of 1.6 × 1035 erg s−1 in August of 2017 (2.4 yr post eruption), and that the shell has a mass of 6.3 × 10−5 M⊙. The models also suggest anisotropy of the ionizing flux, possibly by the contribution from a luminous accretion disc.

We report the Fermi-LAT gamma-ray detection of the 2021 outburst of the symbiotic recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi. In this system, unlike classical novae from cataclysmic binaries, the ejecta from the white dwarf form shocks when interacting with the dense circumstellar wind environment of the red giant companion. We find the LAT spectra from 50 MeV to ~20-23 GeV, the highest-energy photons detected in some sub-intervals, are consistent with $π^{\rm 0}$-decay emission from shocks in the ejecta as proposed by Tatischeff & Hernanz (2007) for its previous 2006 outburst. The LAT light-curve displayed a fast rise to its peak >0.1 GeV flux of $\simeq$6x10^-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1 beginning on day 0.745 after its optically-constrained eruption epoch of 2021 August 8.50. The peak lasted for ~1 day, and exhibited a power-law decline up to the final LAT detection on day 45. We analyze the data on shorter timescales at early times and found evidence of an approximate doubling of emission over ~200 minutes at day 2.2, possibly indicating a localized shock-acceleration event. Comparing the data collected by the AAVSO, we measured a constant ratio of ~2.8x10^-3 between the gamma-ray and optical luminosities except for a ~5x smaller ratio within the first day of the eruption likely indicating attenuation of gamma rays by ejecta material and lower high-energy proton fluxes at the earliest stages of the shock development. The hard X-ray emission due to bremsstrahlung from shock-heated gas traced by the Swift-XRT 2-10 keV light-curve peaked at day ~6, later than at GeV and optical energies. Using X-ray derived temperatures to constrain the velocity profile, we find the hadronic model reproduces the observed >0.1 GeV light-curve., ApJ, accepted. 21 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables

We catalog the 443 bright supernovae discovered by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) in $2018-2020$ along with the 519 supernovae recovered by ASAS-SN and 516 additional $m_{peak}\leq18$ mag supernovae missed by ASAS-SN. Our statistical analysis focuses primarily on the 984 supernovae discovered or recovered in ASAS-SN $g$-band observations. The complete sample of 2427 ASAS-SN supernovae includes earlier $V$-band samples and unrecovered supernovae. For each supernova, we identify the host galaxy, its UV to mid-IR photometry, and the offset of the supernova from the center of the host. Updated light curves, redshifts, classifications, and host galaxy identifications supersede earlier results. With the increase of the limiting magnitude to $g\leq18$ mag, the ASAS-SN sample is roughly complete up to $m_{peak}=16.7$ mag and is $90\%$ complete for $m_{peak}\leq17.0$ mag. This is an increase from the $V$-band sample where it was roughly complete up to $m_{peak}=16.2$ mag and $70\%$ complete for $m_{peak}\leq17.0$ mag., Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables. Updated to reflect changes made in the published version. Tables containing the catalog data presented in this submission are included in machine-readable format as ancillary files

We present the first estimate of the Galactic nova rate based on optical transient surveys covering the entire sky. Using data from the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) and \textit{Gaia} -- the only two all-sky surveys to report classical nova candidates -- we find 39 confirmed Galactic novae and 7 additional unconfirmed candidates discovered from 2019--2021, yielding a nova discovery rate of $\approx 14$ yr$^{-1}$. Using accurate Galactic stellar mass models, three-dimensional dust maps, and incorporating realistic nova light curves, we have built a sophisticated Galactic nova model that allows an estimate of the recovery fraction of Galactic novae from these surveys over this time period. The observing capabilities of each survey are distinct: the high cadence of ASAS-SN makes it sensitive to fast novae, while the broad observing filter and high spatial resolution of \textit{Gaia} make it more sensitive to highly reddened novae across the entire Galactic plane and bulge. Despite these differences, we find that ASAS-SN and \textit{Gaia} give consistent Galactic nova rates, with a final joint nova rate of $26 \pm 5$ yr$^{-1}$. This inferred nova rate is substantially lower than found by many other recent studies. Critically assessing the systematic uncertainties in the Galactic nova rate, we argue that the role of faint fast-fading novae has likely been overestimated, but that subtle details in the operation of transient alert pipelines can have large, sometimes unappreciated effects on transient recovery efficiency. Our predicted nova rate can be directly tested with forthcoming red/near-infrared transient surveys in the southern hemisphere., 24 pages, 9 figures

Radio emission from astrophysical transients allows us to derive calorimetry of kinetic feedback and detailed imaging in ways that are not possible at other wavelengths, and as such it forms an important part of the multi-messenger follow-ups of these events. The field is burgeoning, with a renaissance of interest in accretion, stellar explosions and jetted supernovæ, alongside newer classes of phenomena such as fast radio bursts and tidal disruption events. The purpose of this workshop was to discuss the infrastructure and techniques for detecting, identifying and probing radio transients, with a particular focus on how best to exploit transient alerts from multi-messenger facilities. We examined the type of transient alerts those facilities will broadcast, and methods for following them up, such as rapid-response triggering and shadowing. In break-out groups, participants chose a science question related to a particular radio transient type or class and discussed whether the planned transient strategies and observing techniques on the Square Kilometre Array will be adequate to address the particular question. The classes they chose included fast radio bursts, supernovæ, cataclysmic variable and unknown transients. Any proposed adaptation or suggestion was relayed to a panel of experts for further discussion. The second part of the workshop concentrated on the application of long baseline interferometry for detecting and measuring radio transients.