Red novae, their progenitors, and remnants

Abstract

Red novae or luminous red novae are a class of optical transients that have emerged over the past two decades. They occupy an intermediate-luminosity regime between classical novae and supernovae and are characterized by cool, slowly expanding ejecta and a pronounced evolution toward red, dust-enshrouded remnants. These events are now widely interpreted as the outcome of binary coalescence involving non-compact stars, providing a rare opportunity to directly observe the dynamical phases of stellar mergers and their immediate aftermath. Observational studies of red novae provide a glimpse into the still poorly understood physics of unstable mass transfer and common-envelope evolution in binary stars, responsible for the formation of high-energy astrophysical phenomena, compact binary systems, and gravitational-wave sources. In this review, we synthesize current observational knowledge of red novae, including their outburst properties, population characteristics, and long-term remnants. Observations of light curves, spectra, and circumstellar environments reveal a complex interplay between mass ejection, collisions, radiative processes, and dust formation. Archival detections of red novae progenitors show a diversity of systems, ranging from low-mass contact binaries to massive evolved stars, with a notable representation of post-main-sequence stars. We also examine current efforts to predict red nova outbursts and establish robust event rates in the Local Universe, both of which remain challenging. Finally, we outline future prospects, including the impact of large-scale time-domain surveys and the potential connection between stellar mergers and gravitational-wave sources.