Hi All,
I've just this minute recieved a CBET circular update on this supernova which includes the possible iidentification of a progenitor star from previous deep images of the galaxy.
This indicates this potential progenitor was a Red Supergiant and the event is likely therefore to be a Type II. Still not certain of this as there is no spectra yet.
The reproduced circular (below) also gives magnitude estimates of the new object.
Anyone had a go at tracking it down yet?
* * *
Electronic Telegram No. 1319
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
CBAT@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
URL
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html
SUPERNOVA 2008bk IN NGC 7793
W. Li, University of California, Berkeley (UCB); S. D. Van Dyk, Spitzer
Science Center, California Institute of Technology; A. V. Filippenko and R. J.
Foley, UCB; G. Pignata, M. Hamuy, and J. Moza, Universidad de Chile; and D.
Reichart, K. Ivarsen, A. Crain, D. Foster, M. Nysewander, and A. LaCluyze,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, report that they have analyzed
the discovery images of SN 2008bk that were taken by Monard (cf. CBET 1315)
and also images taken with the 0.41-m "PROMPT 2" telescope at Cerro Tololo on
Mar. 28.41 UT. Using half a dozen stars for an astrometric solution, they
derive the following precise position for 2008bk: R.A. = 23h57m50s.42,
Decl. = -32d33'21".5 (equinox 2000.0), which is 9".2 east and 126".4 north of
the nucleus of NGC 7793.
Li et al. have further applied their astrometric solution to deep
archival ground-based images taken with the Very Large Telescopes (VLT).
Within the uncertainty of the solution (0".2 error radius), they identified a
single point source on an I-band image taken on 2001 Sept. 16 UT, which Li
et al. propose as the possible progenitor for SN 2008bk. The source is not
detected in the B- and V-band images, so it is a red source [likely a red
supergiant (RSG) star]. The possible progenitor of 2008bk also resides in
a cluster of bright blue and red supergiant stars. Based on the environment
of SN 2008bk and its possible progenitor identification, Li et al. postulate
that 2008bk is a core collapse (likely a type-II) event. Further analysis on
the astrometry and photometry of the progenitor star is on-going. A finder
chart for the possible progenitor can be found at the following website URL:
http://astro.berkeley.edu/~weidong/s...k.vlt-prog.gif
G. Pignata, J. Maza, M. Hamuy, R. Antezana, L. Gonzalez, P. Gonzalez, P.
Lopez, S. Silva, and G. Folatelli, Universidad de Chile; and D. Reichart, K.
Ivarsen, A. Crain, D. Foster, M. Nysewander, and A. LaCluyze, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on the behalf CHASE project, report that
images taken with the "PROMPT2" and "PROMPT4" telescopes yield the following
magnitudes (+/- 0.05) for 2008bk: Mar. 28.41 UT, B = 12.78, V = 13.05
(indicating B-V = -0.27); Mar. 29.40, B = 12.79, V = 13.02. The calibration
star is listed in the Tycho-2 catalogue (at R.A. = 23h57m53s.03, Decl. =
-32o32'42".9; B = 12.499, V = 12.476).
NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.
(C) Copyright 2008 CBAT
2008 March 30 (CBET 1319) Daniel W. E. Green
* * *
Best,
Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T
sounds cool but what sort of scope would u need to see this?
Astro thanks for the lovely advice dam i wish i had an 8" 
ive just got a 150mm skywatcher newtonian reflector for now 
but it wont be the last scope i buy hehe 
I started with a 60mm Refractor, now I use a 40cm Reflector
but im a quick learner and willing to learn i just need to be shown i think 
