2008IAUC.8997....2R

R. J. Rudy, D. K. Lynch, and R. W. Russell, Aerospace Corporation; M. Sitko, Space Science Institute; C. E. Woodward, University of Minnesota; and C. Aspin, University of Hawaii, report that 0.8-5.5-micron spectroscopy and K-band imagery of the nova V1309 Sco (cf. IAUC 8972, 8976) on Oct. 4 and 16 UT using the Infrared Telescope Facility (+ Spex) shows very narrow emission lines of H I, He I, and Ca II sitting atop a strong continuum that closely matches that of a late M giant star. The spectrum includes strong molecular absorptions of CO, H_2O, and weaker features of TiO and VO, while the overall continuum shape is that of a cool star. Magnitudes derived from the spectroscopic observations are J = 6.7, H = 5.7, and K = 5.2. All of the observations would be consistent with V1309 Sco being a symbiotic nova (a nova consisting of a white dwarf and a late giant) except that the 2MASS images show no object close to the location of V1309 Sco with K < 11. If V1309 Sco has shed a massive envelope, such as V838 Mon or V4332 Sgr, its appearance at this epoch is very different. Additional observations of this interesting object are strongly encouraged.