2009IAUC.9099....1R

R. J. Rudy and T. R. Prater, The Aerospace Corporation; R. C. Puetter, University of California at San Diego; and R. B. Perry, NASA, report 0.9- to 2.5-micron spectroscopy of V496 Sct (cf. IAUCs 9093, 9097) on Nov. 27.08 UT using the Aerospace Corporation's Near- Infrared Imaging Spectrograph on the 3-m Shane reflector at Lick Observatory. The nova displays very strong emission from the first overtone of carbon monoxide; this is a rare and extremely short- lived feature in novae and occurs just before dust formation. The nova also displays several C I lines that are among the brightest emission lines in the spectrum. The strongest of these display P- Cyg profiles, behavior not observed previously in novae. Very strong C I emission in early novae spectra is a common occurrence in novae that form dust. The authors believe that dust formation in V496 Sct is almost certain and that there is a good probability that it will occur within the next week. K. Baker helped in acquiring the measurements.