We present early high resolution spectroscopic observations of the nova V1369 Cen. We have detected an absorption feature at 6695.6 \AA\, that we have identified as blue--shifted $^7$Li I $\lambda$6708 \AA. The absorption line, moving at -550 km/s, was observed in five high-resolution spectra of the nova obtained at different epochs. On the basis of the intensity of this absorption line we infer that a single nova outburst can inject in the Galaxy $M_{ Li} =$ 0.3 - 4.8 $\times 10^{ -10}$ M$_{ \odot}$. Given the current estimates of Galactic nova rate, this amount is sufficient to explain the puzzling origin of the overabundance of Lithium observed in young star populations.
Categories: astro-ph.SR