Supernova 2011dh

[george7378]

There's another one! This one's in a much closer and easier to find galaxy - M51 (the Whirlpool galaxy) and it was discovered on the 1st June. It's mag. 14.2 at the moment, but it should get much brighter as it is very close (37M light years). I will definitely be looking at this one as it brightens!

http://www.supernovae.net/

 

[Scruce]

but it should get much brighter as it is very close (37M light years).

Brighter than 2011by?

 

[Yoda]

I actually filed my discovery claim on this one 3 hours after the French.
Otherwise it would have been my first discovery !

Damn the French !!!

---------- Post added at 08:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:22 AM ----------

Here's my Image that I filed with my claim.


BEFORE

AFTER

SuperNova is in the bottom left of the structure.

 

[george7378]

Scruce - I think it will get brighter than 2011by because it's less than half the distance, but it is a different type of SN (this one is a core-collapse of a massive star, 2011by was an exploding white dwarf), so I don't really know!

Yoda: Bad luck - I guess SN hunting is quite competitive. Do you run a search programme?

 

[Yoda]

Scruce - I think it will get brighter than 2011by because it's less than half the distance, but it is a different type of SN (this one is a core-collapse of a massive star, 2011by was an exploding white dwarf), so I don't really know!

Yoda: Bad luck - I guess SN hunting is quite competitive. Do you run a search programme?

No this was just pure luck; the first Image was June 1st and I did another set of imaging June 2th but didn't notice the supernova until I processed the images late that night.
By that time the French had already claimed it 3 hours prior before me filing my claim.

better luck next time.

 

[McWgogs]

This one sure is photogenic.
Canon 1000D and a Sigma 70-300mm 5.6 dg lens on a motorized barn-door tracker. 40x120s

 

[Yoda]

Picture didn't post; would sure love to see it though !

 

[orb]

Picture didn't post; would sure love to see it though !

If the image isn't showing up, you can view it there: http://postimage.org/image/yryxug10/


Astronomy Now: Supernova flares in M51

 

[george7378]

Lovely images everyone - I'm going to try and see it tonight - if the sky gets dark enough and it's within the limits of a 10-inch scope!

---------- Post added 07-06-11 at 09:57 ---------- Previous post was 06-06-11 at 19:29 ----------

I saw it last night - I'm suprised how quickly it has brightened! From what I could see, it was about 13.6/13.7 (as of 00:30 on the 7th July), and even though my skies were quite hazy and light, the SN was easily seen with averted vision. I'll go out again and finish the drawing I started. My third SN this year!

 

[agentgonzo]

How long do supernovas normally last? I really don't have a lot of time to get the scope out at the moment and it's a bit of a journey to dark skies, but I'd love to see a supernova!

 

[RisingFury]

How long do supernovas normally last? I really don't have a lot of time to get the scope out at the moment and it's a bit of a journey to dark skies, but I'd love to see a supernova!

They're generally in the time scale of a few weeks, but the most spectacular part is the brightening in my opinion...

 

[Quick_Nick]

Light pollution + 4 inch telescope = smudges

 

[george7378]

I haven't had a chance to return to it because of weather, but mainly because of the nasty light skies. Still, here's a drawing I made of it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgekristiansen/5874043315/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgekristiansen/5874064749/

 

[orb]

Phys.org: Observationally confirmed supernova explosion of a yellow supergiant star:

Observational results of the Hubble Space Telescope announced in March 2013 confirmed the theoretical prediction by the Bersten team at the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe that the yellow supergiant star found at the location of supernova SN 2011dh in the famous nearby galaxy M51 was indeed the star that exploded.

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