SIMBAD references

The nova rate in the Galaxy is determined, using the current estimates of nova rates in extragalactic systems as calibrators. A value of ≃20 novae/yr is obtained. This is smaller by a factor 3-4 than some of the previous estimates. The comparison of the derived value with the `observed' nova rate in the Galaxy of ≃4 novae/yr, shows that nova surveys in our Galaxy are strongly affected by incompleteness. The frequency of occurrence of classical novae that are supersoft X-ray emitters, like GQ Mus, is also estimated.