Supernova 1954J (Variable 12) in NGC 2403 Unmasked

June 2005 • 2005PASP..117..553V

Authors • Van Dyk, Schuyler D. • Filippenko, Alexei V. • Chornock, Ryan • Li, Weidong • Challis, Peter M.

Abstract • We have confirmed that the precursor star of the unusual supernova 1954J (also known as Variable 12) in NGC 2403 survived what appears to have been a superoutburst, similar to the 1843 Great Eruption of η Carinae in the Galaxy. The apparent survivor has changed little in brightness and color over the last 8 years, and a Keck spectrum reveals characteristics broadly similar to those of η Car. This is further suggested by our identification of the actual outburst-surviving star in high-resolution images obtained with the Advanced Camera for Surveys on the Hubble Space Telescope. We reveal this ``supernova impostor'' as a highly luminous (M⁰_V~-8.0 mag), very massive (M_initial>~25 M_solar) eruptive star, now surrounded by a dusty (A_V~4 mag) nebula, similar to η Car's famous Homunculus.

Based in part on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

Links

• PREPRINT http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0503324
• NED https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/uri/NED::InRefcode/2005PASP..117..553V
• ELECTR https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/430238
• SIMBAD http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbo.pl?bibcode=2005PASP..117..553V
• PDF https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/430238/pdf
• DATA https://archive.stsci.edu/mastbibref.php?bibcode=2005PASP..117..553V
• DATA https://hst.esac.esa.int/ehst/#/pages/search;bibcode=2005PASP..117..553V
• DATA https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/bibdata/2005/V/2005PASP..117..553V.html
• SPIRES http://inspirehep.net/search?p=find+eprint+astro-ph/0503324