This is a list of supernova candidates, or star

Star

A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...

s that astronomer

Astronomer

An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...

s have suggested are supernova

Supernova

A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...

 progenitors. Type II supernova

Type II supernova

A Type II supernova results from the rapid collapse and violent explosion of a massive star. A star must have at least 9 times, and no more than 40–50 times the mass of the Sun for this type of explosion. It is distinguished from other types of supernova by the presence of hydrogen in its spectrum...

 progenitors include stars with at least 10 solar mass

Solar mass

The solar mass , , is a standard unit of mass in astronomy, used to indicate the masses of other stars and galaxies...

es that are in the final stages of their evolution. (Prominent examples of stars in this mass range include Antares

Antares

Antares is a red supergiant star in the Milky Way galaxy and the sixteenth brightest star in the nighttime sky . Along with Aldebaran, Spica, and Regulus it is one of the four brightest stars near the ecliptic...

, Spica

Spica

Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky. It is 260 light years distant from Earth...

, Gamma Velorum

Gamma Velorum

Gamma Velorum is a star system in the constellation Vela. At magnitude +1.7, it is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It has the traditional names Suhail and Suhail al Muhlif, which confusingly also apply to Lambda Velorum...

, Mu Cephei

Mu Cephei

Mu Cephei , also known as Herschel's Garnet Star, is a red supergiant star in the constellation Cepheus. It is one of the largest and most luminous stars known in the Milky Way...

, and members of the Quintuplet Cluster

Quintuplet cluster

The Quintuplet cluster is a dense cluster of massive young stars near the Galactic Center . Its name comes from the fact it has five prominent supergiant stars residing in it. Along with the Arches cluster it is one of two in the immediate GC region...

.) Type Ia supernova

Type Ia supernova

A Type Ia supernova is a sub-category of supernovae, which in turn are a sub-category of cataclysmic variable stars, that results from the violent explosion of a white dwarf star. A white dwarf is the remnant of a star that has completed its normal life cycle and has ceased nuclear fusion...

 progenitors are white dwarf

White dwarf

A white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small star composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They are very dense; a white dwarf's mass is comparable to that of the Sun and its volume is comparable to that of the Earth. Its faint luminosity comes from the emission of stored...

 stars that are close to the Chandrasekhar limit

Chandrasekhar limit

When a star starts running out of fuel, it usually cools off and collapses into one of three compact forms, depending on its total mass:* a White Dwarf, a big lump of Carbon and Oxygen atoms, almost like one huge molecule...

 of about 1.38 solar masses and are accreting matter from a binary companion star. The list includes massive Wolf-Rayet star

Wolf-Rayet star

Wolf–Rayet stars are evolved, massive stars , which are losing mass rapidly by means of a very strong stellar wind, with speeds up to 2000 km/s...

s, which may become Type Ib/Ic supernovae

Type Ib and Ic supernovae

Types Ib and Ic supernovae are categories of stellar explosions that are caused by the core collapse of massive stars. These stars have shed their outer envelope of hydrogen, and, when compared to the spectrum of Type Ia supernovae, they lack the absorption line of silicon...

.

Supernova progenitor candidates

Identifier	Epoch Epoch (astronomy) In astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time used as a reference point for some time-varying astronomical quantity, such as celestial coordinates, or elliptical orbital elements of a celestial body, where these are subject to perturbations and vary with time...  J2000		Constellation Constellation In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....	Distance (light years)	Spectral class Stellar classification In astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of stars based on their spectral characteristics. The spectral class of a star is a designated class of a star describing the ionization of its chromosphere, what atomic excitations are most prominent in the light, giving an objective measure...	Notes
	R. A. Right ascension Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:...	Dec. Declination In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and...
IK Pegasi			Pegasus Pegasus (constellation) Pegasus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...	150	A8m:/DA
Alpha Lupi Alpha Lupi Alpha Lupi is the brightest star in the constellation Lupus.In Chinese, , meaning Imperial Guards, refers to an asterism consisting of α Lupi, γ Lupi, δ Lupi, κ Centauri, β Lupi, λ Lupi, ε Lupi, μ Lup, π Lupi and ο Lupi . Consequently, α Lupi itself is known as .R. H...			Lupus Lupus (constellation) Lupus is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for wolf. Lupus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations...	550	B1.5
Antares Antares Antares is a red supergiant star in the Milky Way galaxy and the sixteenth brightest star in the nighttime sky . Along with Aldebaran, Spica, and Regulus it is one of the four brightest stars near the ecliptic...			Scorpius Scorpius Scorpius, sometimes known as Scorpio, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and its symbol is . It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east...	600	M1.5Iab-b
Betelgeuse Betelgeuse Betelgeuse, also known by its Bayer designation Alpha Orionis , is the eighth brightest star in the night sky and second brightest star in the constellation of Orion, outshining its neighbour Rigel only rarely...			Orion Orion (constellation) Orion, often referred to as The Hunter, is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous, and most recognizable constellations in the night sky...	640	M2Iab
Pi Puppis Pi Puppis Pi Puppis is a star in the constellation Puppis.In Chinese, , meaning Bow and Arrow, refers to an asterism consisting of π Puppis, δ Canis Majoris, η Canis Majoris, c Puppis, ZI 674, ο Puppis, κ Puppis, ε Canis Majoris and κ Canis Majoris...			Puppis	1100	K3 Ib
119 Tauri 119 Tauri 119 Tauri is a star in the constellation Taurus. It is one of the largest stars known, having a diameter 510 times that of the Sun.119 Tauri is a M-type red supergiant with a mean apparent magnitude of +4.32. It is approximately 1920 light years from Earth...			Taurus Taurus (constellation) Taurus is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is a Latin word meaning 'bull', and its astrological symbol is a stylized bull's head:...	1700	M2Iab-Ib
RS Ophiuchi			Ophiuchus Ophiuchus Ophiuchus is a large constellation located around the celestial equator. Its name is from the Greek "serpent-bearer", and it is commonly represented as a man grasping the snake that is represented by the constellation Serpens. Ophiuchus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century...	1,950–5,200	M2III/D
HD 168625			Sagittarius Sagittarius (constellation) Sagittarius is a constellation of the zodiac, the one containing the galactic center. Its name is Latin for the archer, and its symbol is , a stylized arrow. Sagittarius is commonly represented as a centaur drawing a bow...	2,200	B6Ia
Mu Cephei Mu Cephei Mu Cephei , also known as Herschel's Garnet Star, is a red supergiant star in the constellation Cepheus. It is one of the largest and most luminous stars known in the Milky Way...			Cepheus Cepheus (constellation) Cepheus is a constellation in the northern sky. It is named after Cepheus, King of Aethiopia in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...	2400	M2Ia
T Pyxidis T Pyxidis T Pyxidis is a binary star system in the constellation Pyxis estimated at about from Earth. It contains a sun-like star and a white dwarf. Because of their close proximity and the larger mass of the white dwarf, it draws matter from the larger, less massive star which causes periodic...			Pyxis Pyxis Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass...	3,260
HD 179821			Aquila Aquila (constellation) Aquila is a stellar constellation. Its name is Latin for 'eagle' and it is commonly represented as such. In mythology, Aquila was owned by the Roman god Jupiter and performed many tasks for him....	3,300	G5Ia
VY Canis Majoris VY Canis Majoris VY Canis Majoris is the largest known star and also one of the most luminous. Located in the constellation Canis Major, it is a red hypergiant, between 1800 and 2100 solar radii, 8.4–9.8 astronomical units in radius, about 3.0 billion km or 1.9 billion miles in diameter, and about 1.5 kiloparsecs ...			Canis Major Canis Major Canis Major is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was included in the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy's 48 constellations. Its name is Latin for 'greater dog', and is commonly represented as one of the dogs following Orion the hunter...	4,900	M5eIa
Eta Carinae			Carina	7,000–8,000	Wolf-rayet
WR 104 WR 104 WR 104 is a Wolf-Rayet star discovered in 1998, located 8,000 light years from Earth. It is a binary star with a class OB companion. The stars have an orbital period of 220 days and the interaction between their stellar winds produce a spiral "pinwheel" outflow pattern over 200 astronomical units...			Sagittarius	8,000	WC9d/OB
IRC+10420			Aquila	10,000-23,000	F8Ia+
Rho Cassiopeiae Rho Cassiopeiae Rho Cassiopeiae is a yellow hypergiant star in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is about away from Earth, yet can still be seen by the naked eye , as it is 550,000 times as luminous as the Sun. On average, it has an absolute magnitude of −7.5, making it one of the most luminous stars known...			Cassiopeia Cassiopeia (constellation) Cassiopeia is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the vain queen Cassiopeia in Greek mythology, who boasted about her unrivalled beauty. Cassiopea was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century Greek astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today...	12,000	G2Ia0e
Wray 17-96 Wray 17-96 Wray 17-96 is a very luminous star in the Scorpius constellation, about away. Likely a luminous blue variable , it has an absolute bolometric magnitude of −10.9 , making it one of the most luminous stars known. Wray 17-96 is also notable for its gas hull, once thought to be a planetary nebula....			Scorpius Scorpius Scorpius, sometimes known as Scorpio, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and its symbol is . It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east...	15,000	B3
Sher 25 Sher 25 Sher 25 is an old blue supergiant star located approximately 20,000 light years from the Sun in the H II region NGC 3603 of the Milky Way galaxy. It's a spectral type B1.5Iab star with an apparent magnitude is 12.2, and located at right ascension , declination in the constellation Carina...			Carina Carina (constellation) Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:...	~20,000	B1.5Iab
HD 179821			Aquila	20,000	G5Ia
V445 Puppis V445 Puppis V445 Puppis was a nova in the constellation Puppis. It was discovered by KazuyoshiKanatsu of Matsue, Shimane, Japan, who recorded a peak magnitude of 8.6 on November 28, 2000. The nova was reported by Taichi Kato of Kyoto University in the International Astronomical Union circular 7552, issued on...			Puppis Puppis Puppis is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is the Latin word for the poop deck of a ship, and Puppis represents the deck of the ship and its deckhouses...	27,000
U Scorpii U Scorpii U Scorpii is one of only 10 known recurring nova in our galaxy. Located near the northern edge of the constellation Scorpius it normally has a magnitude of 18, but reaches a magnitude of about 8 during outbursts...			Scorpius Scorpius Scorpius, sometimes known as Scorpio, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and its symbol is . It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east...	39,000
KPD1930+2752			Cygnus Cygnus (constellation) Cygnus is a northern constellation lying on the plane of the Milky Way. Its name is the Latinized Hellenic word for swan. One of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, it features a prominent asterism known as the Northern Cross...		sdB/D	The Kitt Peak Downes star.