V4141 Sgr: Outflows and repeated outbursts

Abstract

In this work, we analyze the ongoing brightening of the poorly studied symbiotic star V4141 Sgr and examine its long-term variability. We present new low-resolution spectroscopic observations of the system in its bright state and combine them with multi-color photometric data from our observations, as well as ASAS-SN, ATLAS, and Gaia DR3. To investigate its long-term evolution, we also incorporated historical data, including photographic plates, constructing a light curve spanning more than a century. Our analysis reveals that V4141 Sgr has undergone multiple outbursts, with at least one exhibiting characteristics that are typical of “slow” symbiotic novae. The current outburst is characterized by the ejection of optically thick material and possibly bipolar jets, a phenomenon observed in only a small fraction of symbiotic stars. These findings establish V4141 Sgr as an intriguing target for continued monitoring.