SPECTROSCOPIC AND POLARIMETRIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE NOVA CAS-1993

Results of observations of the nova Cas 1993 with the 6-m and Zeiss-10 00 telescopes within a few days after maximum light are reported. Duri ng the spectroscopic observations, the nova was in a diffuse-enhanced phase. The spectrum shows a large number of emission and absorption fe atures. The absorption lines have a two-component structure and are bl ueshifted. The mean radial velocities of the primary and diffuse-enhan ced spectra are RV(1) = -550 ion s(-1) and RV(2) = -1330 km s(-1), res pectively. The linear polarization in the B band is 1.25%. The absolut e magnitudes at maximum light were estimated from our photometry to be M(B) = -6.(m)8 and M(V) = -6.(m)77. The distance to the nova was foun d by several methods to lie in the range 0.9 to 1.4 kpc.