Journal article
PTF 10fqs: A LUMINOUS RED NOVA IN THE SPIRAL GALAXY MESSIER 99
Astrophysical Journal, Vol.730(2), 134
Apr/2011
Abstract
The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is systematically charting the optical transient and variable sky. A primary science driver of PTF is building a complete inventory of transients in the local universe (distance less than 200 Mpc). Here, we report the discovery of PTF 10fqs, a transient in the luminosity "gap" between novae and supernovae. Located on a spiral arm of Messier 99, PTF 10fqs has a peak luminosity of M-r = -12.3, red color (g - r = 1.0), and is slowly evolving (decayed by 1 mag in 68 days). It has a spectrum dominated by intermediate-width Ha (approximate to 930 km s(-1)) and narrow calcium emission lines. The explosion signature (the light curve and spectra) is overall similar to that of M85 OT2006-1, SN 2008S, and NGC 300 OT. The origin of these events is shrouded in mystery and controversy (and in some cases, in dust). PTF 10fqs shows some evidence of a broad feature (around 8600 angstrom) that may suggest very large velocities (approximate to 10,000 km s(-1)) in this explosion. Ongoing surveys can be expected to find a few such events per year. Sensitive spectroscopy, infrared monitoring, and statistics (e.g., disk versus bulge) will eventually make it possible for astronomers to unravel the nature of these mysterious explosions.
Details
- Title
- PTF 10fqs; A LUMINOUS RED NOVA IN THE SPIRAL GALAXY MESSIER 99
- Creators
- Mansi M. Kasliwal (null)Shri R. Kulkarni (null)Iair Arcavi (null) - 972WIS_INST___88Robert M. Quimby (null)Eran O. Ofek (null)Peter Nugent (null)Janet Jacobsen (null)Avishay Gal-Yam (null) - 972WIS_INST___88Yoav Green (null) - The Weizmann Institute of ScienceOfer Yaron (null) - 972WIS_INST___88Derek B. Fox (null)Jacob L. Howell (null)S. Bradley Cenko (null)Io Kleiser (null)Joshua S. Bloom (null)Adam Miller (null)Weidong Li (null)Alexei V. Filippenko (null)Dan Starr (null)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol.730(2), 134; Apr/2011
- Number of pages
- 11
- Language
- English
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/730/2/134
- Grant note
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; Israel Science Foundation; US-Israel Binational Science Foundation; Weizmann-UK; Marie Curie IRG fellowship; Peter and Patricia Gruber Award; Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics; Yeda-Sela center at the Weizmann Institute; National Science Foundation (NSF) [AST-0908886, PHY 05-51164, AST07-07633]; Sylvia & Jim Katzman Foundation; Richard & Rhoda Goldman Fund; Gary and Cynthia Bengier; TABASGO Foundation; NASA through Spitzer [1322321]; Space Telescope Science Institute [AR-11248]; NASA [NAS 5-26555]; DOE; Einstein fellowship; Harvard University; University of Virginia; Associated Universities, Inc.M.M.K. thanks the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for a Hale Fellowship in support of graduate study. The Weizmann Institute PTF participation is supported in part by the Israel Science Foundation via grants to A.G.Y. The Weizmann-Caltech collaborative PTF effort is supported by the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation. A.G.Y. and M. S. are jointly supported by the "making connections" Weizmann-UK program. A.G.Y. further acknowledges support by a Marie Curie IRG fellowship and the Peter and Patricia Gruber Award, as well as funding by the Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics and the Yeda-Sela center at the Weizmann Institute. A.V.F.'s group and KAIT are supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) grant AST-0908886, the Sylvia & Jim Katzman Foundation, the Richard & Rhoda Goldman Fund, Gary and Cynthia Bengier, and the TABASGO Foundation; additional funding was provided by NASA through Spitzer grant 1322321, as well as HST grant AR-11248 from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by Associated Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. J.S.B. and his group are partially funded by a DOE SciDAC grant. E.O.O. and D. P. are supported by the Einstein fellowship. L. B. is supported by the National Science Foundation under grants PHY 05-51164 and AST07-07633.The Hobby-Eberly Telescope_ALMAME_DELIMITER_
- Record Identifier
- 993266137403596
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