BOSS jackpot?

[PeterM]

Excuse this rushed post, will be adding to as day goes by. Wanted to get this breaking news on IIS ASAP. Sorry typing on iPhone on bus and just got knocked and have to rewrite.

Stu Parker may well have hit the jackpot with this discovery looking like the most interesting BOSS discovery to date and, perhaps the most valuable scientifically.

The galaxy is NGC6984 and it hosted a type 1c supernova in what appears to be exactly the same position as last year.
Problem is it shouldn't and that's what (at last count) emails from about 10 very excited professional astronomers are saying and they are keenly following it up.
The 10m SALT telescope has already obtained data (literally within an hour of notifying them) and yes it is a supernova. Now is it the same one as last year? it shouldn't be as type 1c are terminal and don't re brighten as the pros are telling us.
So what's going on? A chance alignment with another supernova or something more exotic with the first SN?
Time will soon tell and we will post here. So much for amateurs fluffing around the edges. BOSS even released our first ATEL today.

So a huge congratulations to Stu Parker, his dedication and skill are remarkable.
The BOSS team worked quickly as usual and Greg Bock was able to overlay and blink images to add to the confidence needed to send this out so quickly and get the professionals obviously very excited.
As one professional astronomer has replied " that's why I love astronomy so much"
Stayed tuned!

[Terry B]

Stunning!

[DavidTrap (David)]

That's very interesting!

DT

[PeterM]

Here's a link to the Atel.
http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=5225
Can anyone copy and paste here thanks!

[naskies (Dave)]

Wow, sounds very exciting Can't wait to hear more.

[Nortilus (Josh)]

Cool...very exciting stuff.

[michaellxv (Michael)]

Here you go.

Congratulations to the BOSS team. A truly remarkable achievement.

A new SN suspect at the position of SNhunt142 discovered 1 year ago

ATel #5225; Stu Parker, Greg Bock, Peter Marples, Colin Drescher, Patrick Pearl, Brendan Downs, and the BOSS team
on 25 Jul 2013; 02:28 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Supernovae
Credential Certification: Eric Hsiao (hsiao@lco.cl)
Subjects: Optical, Supernovae

We report a new supernova candidate in NGC 6984. TOCP Designation: PSN J20575390-5152245 Observation Date: 2013 07 24.457 J2000 Position: 20 57 53.90 -51 52 24.5 Magnitude: 16.9 U Offset (arcsec): 1W 10S Locale: NGC 6984 It was detected at mag 16.9 on two 30 second images taken on the same night, July 24.457, 2013. Nothing was visible on the previous image taken on July 13.552, 2013 and 15 images taken during the past year down to mag 19. Another supernova, PSN J20575392-5152248 (SNhunt142), was discovered one year ago very close to this position by the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey and Stan Howerton. It was discovered on July 25.540, 2012 at the position 20 57 53.92 -51 52 24.8 at mag 17.7. It was then typed as a SN Ic around peak on August 8, 2012 by PESSTO (ATEL 4300).

[h0ughy (David)]

well done

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by PeterM

Here's a link to the Atel.
http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=5225
Can anyone copy and paste here thanks!

Congratulations Stu and the gang
Peter I have posted the Telegram on my Face Book Page
Cheers

[PeterM]

Just been confirmed as a type 1b/c and now the fun starts.
Astronomers are now trying to work out if its the same SN as last year which theory says it can't be.
The email I just received from one prominent astronomer basically says if it is then it will get a lot of follow up and publicity and leave a lot of people scratching their heads.
You dun good, real good again Stu!

[clive milne]

Bravo!

[Steffen]

Fascinating! Can they actually determine whether the same star has blown up twice, or whether it was a neighbouring star?

Cheers
Steffen.

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by Steffen

Fascinating! Can they actually determine whether the same star has blown up twice, or whether it was a neighbouring star?

Cheers
Steffen.

That is the $64,000.00 question yet to be answered
Cheers

[Steffen]

Hehe, I mean, is it possible to determine this? What would one look for? Surely, the angular separation between two neighbouring stars in a far away galaxy is essentially zero…?

Cheers
Steffen.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Maybe we're seeing the light from the same explosion twice.
Congrats BOSS. You guys rock. Your SN discoveries are coming faster in my inbox that the spam I'm getting. Gonna have to blacklist you if you keep at it.

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by Steffen

Hehe, I mean, is it possible to determine this? What would one look for? Surely, the angular separation between two neighbouring stars in a far away galaxy is essentially zero…?

Cheers
Steffen.

It is a great question Steffen. I guess the spectra will play an important part in determining that. The galaxy is probably reasonably close and may have had some other scrutiny by Hubble etc.
It will be fascinating to see the detective work and we are getting regular updates and of course will present them here. I will put your question to the Harvard astronomers who are on the case.

[RobF (Rob)]

Incredible work (even though we're expecting that from BOSS anyway )
Way to go guys!

[allan gould]

what a great event. you all must be sooo excited.

[mozzie (Peter)]

well done stu..and the boss team... a great catch and hopefully a re-write of the text books...time will tell

[astronobob (Bob)]

Sound very exciting for you guys, great to hear about the potential of this discovery, mmm, what will it finally lead to, an exotic SN, sound Grand. All the best with it and Congratts on this work so far