GQ Muscae

A visual band light curve for GQ Muscae. The main plot shows the decline from the 1983 eruption, plotted with data from the AAVSO,[1] Whitelock et al.[2] and Liller.[3] The inset plot (adapted from Narloch et al.[4]) shows the post-eruption variability seen in 1992.
Observation data Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation	Musca
Right ascension	11h 52m 02.4285s[5]
Declination	−67° 12′ 20.9911″[5]
Apparent magnitude (V)	7.2 Max. 21 Min.[6]
Characteristics
Variable type	Nova[6]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ)	RA: −5.056±0.451[5] mas/yr Dec.: 1.193±0.324[5] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	0.4702 ± 0.2193 mas[5]
Distance	2480+3780 −300[6] pc
Other designations
AAVSO 1147-66, Nova Mus 1983, Gaia DR2 5236081560713688448[7]
Database references
SIMBAD	data

GQ Muscae, also known as Nova Muscae 1983 is a nova in the constellation Musca, which was discovered by William Liller at 03:20 UT on 18 January 1983.^[8] At the time of its discovery it was a magnitude ≈7.2 object, and it subsequently faded.^[3][9]

GQ Muscae is a binary star system composed of a white dwarf and small star, the donor star, that is about 10% as massive as the Sun. The two orbit each other every 1.4 hours. The white dwarf accumulates material from the donor star until a runaway nuclear thermonuclear reaction erupts, as it did in 1983.^[9] GQ Muscae was the first nova from which X-rays were detected.^[10]

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