SN 1961V
Encyclopedia
SN 1961V was an abnormal, supernova-like event that was a potential supernova impostor. The potential impostor nature of SN 1961V was first identified by Fritz Zwicky
in 1964. SN 1961V occurred in galaxy NGC 1058
, about 9.3 Mpc
away (about 30 million light years). Unlike many supernovae, the progenitor star is tentatively known: an extremely large, very bright blue star, similar to Eta Carinae. Mass estimates of the precursor star were as high as 2000 times the mass of the sun
, but these are likely to be extreme overestimates. If SN 1961V was not a supernova then it was most likely an extremely large outburst by a luminous blue variable
star.
The remnant of SN 1961V's explosion is expanding at 2,000 km/s, which is much slower than the majority of supernovae. The profile of its light curve, with a gradual climb to maximum brightness, was unusual when compared to a supernova. This unusual light curve led to the suspicion that it was some other event. If the star survived this would identify SN 1961V as an impostor supernova rather than a true supernova. Attempts to determine if the progenitor star is still present have been extensive and have included use of both the Hubble Space Telescope
and the Spitzer Space Telescope
. These attempts have been hampered by the debris from the event, which have left the area obscured.
Christopher Kochanek at Ohio State University
has compared the event to the confirmed supernova SN 2005gl
and suggested that the low velocity of expansion can be explained by a pre-supernova mass loss similar to that which was observed to occur in SN 2005gl. The analysis by Kochanek's group strongly suggests that SN 1961V was a genuine supernova.
Fritz Zwicky
Fritz Zwicky was a Swiss astronomer. He worked most of his life at the California Institute of Technology in the United States of America, where he made many important contributions in theoretical and observational astronomy.- Biography :Fritz Zwicky was born in Varna, Bulgaria to a Swiss father....
in 1964. SN 1961V occurred in galaxy NGC 1058
NGC 1058
NGC 1058 is a Seyfert Type 2 galaxy in the Perseus constellation. It is approximately 27.4 million light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 11.82. It is receding from Earth at , and at relative to our Galaxy....
, about 9.3 Mpc
Parsec
The parsec is a unit of length used in astronomy. It is about 3.26 light-years, or just under 31 trillion kilometres ....
away (about 30 million light years). Unlike many supernovae, the progenitor star is tentatively known: an extremely large, very bright blue star, similar to Eta Carinae. Mass estimates of the precursor star were as high as 2000 times the mass of the sun
Solar mass
The solar mass , , is a standard unit of mass in astronomy, used to indicate the masses of other stars and galaxies...
, but these are likely to be extreme overestimates. If SN 1961V was not a supernova then it was most likely an extremely large outburst by a luminous blue variable
Luminous blue variable
Luminous blue variables, also known as S Doradus variables, are very bright, blue, hypergiant variable stars named after S Doradus, the brightest star of the Large Magellanic Cloud. They exhibit long, slow changes in brightness, punctuated by occasional outbursts in brightness during substantial...
star.
The remnant of SN 1961V's explosion is expanding at 2,000 km/s, which is much slower than the majority of supernovae. The profile of its light curve, with a gradual climb to maximum brightness, was unusual when compared to a supernova. This unusual light curve led to the suspicion that it was some other event. If the star survived this would identify SN 1961V as an impostor supernova rather than a true supernova. Attempts to determine if the progenitor star is still present have been extensive and have included use of both the Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
and the Spitzer Space Telescope
Spitzer Space Telescope
The Spitzer Space Telescope , formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is an infrared space observatory launched in 2003...
. These attempts have been hampered by the debris from the event, which have left the area obscured.
Christopher Kochanek at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
has compared the event to the confirmed supernova SN 2005gl
SN 2005gl
SN 2005gl was a supernova in the barred-spiral galaxy NGC 266. It was discovered using CCD frames taken October 5, 2005, from the 60 cm automated telescope at the Puckett Observatory in Georgia, and reported by Tim Puckett in collaboration with Peter Ceravolo...
and suggested that the low velocity of expansion can be explained by a pre-supernova mass loss similar to that which was observed to occur in SN 2005gl. The analysis by Kochanek's group strongly suggests that SN 1961V was a genuine supernova.