Nova Cygni 1992 was the brightest nova since Nova Cygni 1975, and the nova best observed ever. The outburst was discovered on February 19, 1992, before reaching the visual maximum, which was attained three days later at a magnitude of V=4.4.
IUE observations started only 20 hours after the discovery. The first IUE spectrum was different from any other UV spectrum of a nova ever observed ("fireball" phase). In only a few hours the UV flux decreased by a factor of at least 30 and displayed the features usually observed in the early spectra of other novae ("iron-curtain" phase). Afterwards the spectrum passed through the phases of "P-Cygni" and nebular emissiom. Two years after the outburst the shape of the UV continuum changed and the intensity of the high ionization lines suddenly decreased, indicating the end of the Hydrogen burning on the surface of the White Dwarf.
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