The Orbital Period of V368 Aquilae (Nova Aquilae 1936 No. 2)

TL;DR

This study accurately determines the true orbital period of the classical nova V368 Aquilae, correcting previous measurements and contributing to the understanding of long-period cataclysmic variables.

Contribution

The paper provides the first precise measurement of V368 Aql's orbital period, revealing it is roughly twice the previously published value, refining the system's classification.

Findings

Orbital period of V368 Aql is 0.6905093 days.

Previous period measurement was an alias.

V368 Aql is now classified among long-period cataclysmic variables.

Abstract

We report observations of the eclipsing classical nova V368 Aql (Nova Aql 1936 No. 2). These data reveal that the orbital period previously published by Diaz & Bruch is an alias of the true orbital period. A total of 14 eclipses (12 complete and 2 partial) over 25 nights of observation have established that the orbital period of V368 Aql is 0.6905093(1) d (16.57 hr), which is roughly twice the previously published period. With its revised orbital period, V368 Aql now joins other nova systems with periods in excess of 0.5 day that dominate the long end of the orbital period distribution of cataclysmic variables.