A photometric and spectroscopic study of the symbiotic binary BF Cyg

We present the historical 1890-1996 photographic/B-band light curve of the symbiotic binary BF Cyg for the first time. It displays three types of eruption: (i) a slow, symbiotic nova outburst (1895–1960), probably caused by a thermonuclear event; (ii) short-term flares dependent on the orbital phase, possibly triggered by accretion events, and (iii) outbursts (1920, 1989) such as are observed in classical symbiotic stars.