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We present observations of CK Vul obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared spectrum reveals a warm dust continuum with nebular, molecular hydrogen and HCN lines superimposed, together with the `Unidentified Infrared' features. The nebular lines are consistent with emission by a low-density gas. We conclude that the Spitzer data, combined with other information, are incompatible with CK Vul being a classical nova remnant in `hibernation' after the event of 1670, a `very late thermal pulse', a `Luminous Red Variable', such as V838 Mon, or a `diffusion-induced nova'. The true nature of CK Vul remains a mystery.

We present observations of CK Vul obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared spectrum reveals a warm dust continuum with nebular, molecular hydrogen and HCN lines superimposed, together with the `Unidentified Infrared' features. The nebular lines are consistent with emission by a low-density gas. We conclude that the Spitzer data, combined with other information, are incompatible with CK Vul being a classical nova remnant in `hibernation' after the event of 1670, a `very late thermal pulse', a `Luminous Red Variable', such as V838 Mon, or a `diffusion-induced nova'. The true nature of CK Vul remains a mystery.

We present observations of CK Vul obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared spectrum reveals a warm dust continuum with nebular, molecular hydrogen and HCN lines superimposed, together with the `Unidentified Infrared' features. The nebular lines are consistent with emission by a low-density gas. We conclude that the Spitzer data, combined with other information, are incompatible with CK Vul being a classical nova remnant in `hibernation' after the event of 1670, a `very late thermal pulse', a `Luminous Red Variable', such as V838 Mon, or a `diffusion-induced nova'. The true nature of CK Vul remains a mystery.

We present observations of CK Vul obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared spectrum reveals a warm dust continuum with nebular, molecular hydrogen and HCN lines superimposed, together with the `Unidentified Infrared' features. The nebular lines are consistent with emission by a low-density gas. We conclude that the Spitzer data, combined with other information, are incompatible with CK Vul being a classical nova remnant in `hibernation' after the event of 1670, a `very late thermal pulse', a `Luminous Red Variable', such as V838 Mon, or a `diffusion-induced nova'. The true nature of CK Vul remains a mystery.

We present observations of CK Vul obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared spectrum reveals a warm dust continuum with nebular, molecular hydrogen and HCN lines superimposed, together with the `Unidentified Infrared' features. The nebular lines are consistent with emission by a low-density gas. We conclude that the Spitzer data, combined with other information, are incompatible with CK Vul being a classical nova remnant in `hibernation' after the event of 1670, a `very late thermal pulse', a `Luminous Red Variable', such as V838 Mon, or a `diffusion-induced nova'. The true nature of CK Vul remains a mystery.

We present observations of CK Vul obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared spectrum reveals a warm dust continuum with nebular, molecular hydrogen and HCN lines superimposed, together with the `Unidentified Infrared' features. The nebular lines are consistent with emission by a low-density gas. We conclude that the Spitzer data, combined with other information, are incompatible with CK Vul being a classical nova remnant in `hibernation' after the event of 1670, a `very late thermal pulse', a `Luminous Red Variable', such as V838 Mon, or a `diffusion-induced nova'. The true nature of CK Vul remains a mystery.

We present ground-based infrared photometry, JHK spectroscopy, and 5-28 micron SOFIA FORCAST spectroscopy documenting the early temporal development of Nova Delphini 2013 (V339 Del). We derive a distance of ˜4.5 kpc using data available from the early expansion of the fireball. This distance gives an outburst luminosity of ˜8.3 × 10^5 solar luminosities making V339 Del the most luminous CO nova on record. Our data provide new constraints on the ejected gas mass and the dust yield in fast CO novae. The ejected gas mass as estimated by the cutoff wavelength during the free-free emission phase is ˜7.5 × 10^-5 solar masses. There is evidence for the formation of ˜1.2(±0.4) × 10^-7 solar masses of dust about 102 days after outburst. The gas to dust ratio of ˜470/1-940/1 implies that dust production was much less efficient in V339 Del than is the case for most CO novae.

We present ground-based infrared photometry, JHK spectroscopy, and 5-28 micron SOFIA FORCAST spectroscopy documenting the early temporal development of Nova Delphini 2013 (V339 Del). We derive a distance of ˜4.5 kpc using data available from the early expansion of the fireball. This distance gives an outburst luminosity of ˜8.3 × 10^5 solar luminosities making V339 Del the most luminous CO nova on record. Our data provide new constraints on the ejected gas mass and the dust yield in fast CO novae. The ejected gas mass as estimated by the cutoff wavelength during the free-free emission phase is ˜7.5 × 10^-5 solar masses. There is evidence for the formation of ˜1.2(±0.4) × 10^-7 solar masses of dust about 102 days after outburst. The gas to dust ratio of ˜470/1-940/1 implies that dust production was much less efficient in V339 Del than is the case for most CO novae.

We present ground-based infrared photometry, JHK spectroscopy, and 5-28 micron SOFIA FORCAST spectroscopy documenting the early temporal development of Nova Delphini 2013 (V339 Del). We derive a distance of ˜4.5 kpc using data available from the early expansion of the fireball. This distance gives an outburst luminosity of ˜8.3 × 10^5 solar luminosities making V339 Del the most luminous CO nova on record. Our data provide new constraints on the ejected gas mass and the dust yield in fast CO novae. The ejected gas mass as estimated by the cutoff wavelength during the free-free emission phase is ˜7.5 × 10^-5 solar masses. There is evidence for the formation of ˜1.2(±0.4) × 10^-7 solar masses of dust about 102 days after outburst. The gas to dust ratio of ˜470/1-940/1 implies that dust production was much less efficient in V339 Del than is the case for most CO novae.

We present ground-based infrared photometry, JHK spectroscopy, and 5-28 micron SOFIA FORCAST spectroscopy documenting the early temporal development of Nova Delphini 2013 (V339 Del). We derive a distance of ˜4.5 kpc using data available from the early expansion of the fireball. This distance gives an outburst luminosity of ˜8.3 × 10^5 solar luminosities making V339 Del the most luminous CO nova on record. Our data provide new constraints on the ejected gas mass and the dust yield in fast CO novae. The ejected gas mass as estimated by the cutoff wavelength during the free-free emission phase is ˜7.5 × 10^-5 solar masses. There is evidence for the formation of ˜1.2(±0.4) × 10^-7 solar masses of dust about 102 days after outburst. The gas to dust ratio of ˜470/1-940/1 implies that dust production was much less efficient in V339 Del than is the case for most CO novae.