[BAA-ebulletin 00660] Re: Supernova Candidate in NGC3239

[Rick]

[BAA-ebulletin 00660] Re: Supernova Candidate in NGC3239
(c) 2012 British Astronomical Association    http://www.britastro.org/

Two new reasonably bright supernovae have recently been announced as detailed below.

SN 2012au in NGC 4790 in Virgo

Discovered by the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey and Stan Howerton (USA) at mag 18.2C on 2012 March 14.450 but it has rapidly brightened and is currently at magnitude 13.25V.   This SN is of Type Ib, and apparently found in the early stages of its evolution so it may well brighten further.

However, it is vary close to the core of the host galaxy, but is the brightest supernova so far this year. Recent images etc can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/watchingthesky/6846911246

NGC 4790 is at R.A. = 12h54m52s.18, Decl. = -10°14'50".2 and the SN is located 3".5 east and 2".0 north of the center of NGC 4790.


Supernova Candidate PSN J10435372+1140177 in M95

PSN J10435372+1140177 was discovered on 2012 March 16.8493 by J. Skvarc; Alessandro Dimai of the Italian Supernovae Search Project.

M95 is at R.A. = 10h43m53s.72, Decl. = +11°40'17".7 (= NGC 3351) and the SN is located 60" west and 115" south of the center of M95.

A discovery image can be found here: http://www.observatorij.org/vstars/PSN20120317/PSNJ10435372+1140177.jpg

Nick James has just reported an observations of this object at about magnitude 13 and adds that unfortunately Mars is very close and has caused significant interference with the image.  However, Mars will continue to move further away as time progresses.

Further information on these and other supernovae can be found on the extensive web page of the International Supernova Network and the Astronomy Section of the Rochester Academy of Sciences at http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/supernova.html to whom I'm most grateful for some of this information.

Roger Pickard,
Director BAA VSS
19th March 2012

[Jim]

Had a go myself last night. Bit out of focus and the glare from Mars is quite bad.

Meade 127
16 x 300s
QSI 583 cropped


m95_SN by jim_mehta, on Flickr

[MarkS]

Very faint galaxy that one!

The supernova has come out very nicely.

Mark

[Rick]

Today's APOD has a photo of the one in M95: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120322.html