SN 2020tlf
Event typeType IIn
ConstellationBoötes
Right ascension14h 40m 10.03s[1]
Declination42° 46′ 39.45″[1]
EpochJ2000
Distance36.8±1.29 million pc[1]
Redshift0.008463±0.0003[1]
HostNGC 5731
Progenitor typeRed supergiant
Peak apparent magnitude15.89[1]
[edit on Wikidata]

SN 2020tlf was a Type II supernova that occurred 120 million light years away in the galaxy NGC 5731. The supernova marked the first time that a red supergiant star had been observed before, during, and after the event,[2][1] being observed up to 130 days before.[2] The progenitor star was between 10 and 12 solar masses.

Observations

The star was first observed by the Pan-STARRS telescope in the summer of 2020, with other telescopes such as ATLAS also observing it. It was initially believed that red supergiants were quiet before their demise; however, SN 2020tlf was observed emitting bright, intense radiation and ejecting massive amounts of gaseous material.[3][4] Observations were also made throughout the electromagnetic spectrum, such as in the X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared and radio wave spectrums.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Jacobson-Galán, W. V.; Dessart, L.; Jones, D. O.; Margutti, R.; Coppejans, D. L.; Dimitriadis, G.; Foley, R. J.; Kilpatrick, C. D.; Matthews, D. J.; Rest, S.; Terreran, G.; Aleo, P. D.; Auchettl, K.; Blanchard, P. K.; Coulter, D. A.; Davis, K. W.; de Boer, T. J. L.; DeMarchi, L.; Drout, M. R.; Earl, N.; Gagliano, A.; Gall, C.; Hjorth, J.; Huber, M. E.; Ibik, A. L.; Milisavljevic, D.; Pan, Y. C.; Rest, A.; Ridden-Harper, R.; Rojas-Bravo, C.; Siebert, M. R.; Smith, K. W.; Taggart, K.; Tinyanont, S.; Wang, Q.; Zenati, Y. (January 6, 2022). "Final Moments. I. Precursor Emission, Envelope Inflation, and Enhanced Mass Loss Preceding the Luminous Type II Supernova 2020tlf". The Astrophysical Journal. 924 (1): 15. arXiv:2109.12136. Bibcode:2022ApJ...924...15J. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac3f3a. S2CID 237940678.
  2. ^ a b Gough, Evan (February 7, 2022). "Astronomers Watch a Star Die and Then Explode as a Supernova – For the Very First Time". SciTechDaily. Archived from the original on 2022-03-14. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  3. ^ Anderson, Paul (January 14, 2022). "Dying star's explosive end seen by astronomers". EarthSky. Archived from the original on 2022-03-14. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  4. ^ Specktor, Brandon (January 11, 2022). "Scientists watched a star explode in real time for the first time ever". Live Science. Archived from the original on 2022-03-14. Retrieved February 14, 2022.


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