Supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud - Initial observations at Cerro Tololo

Details Supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud - Initial observations at Cerro Tololo Supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud - Initial observations at Cerro Tololo

Sep 1987

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987apj...320..589b&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 320, Sept. 15, 1987, p. 589-596.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

73

Astronomical Photometry, Magellanic Clouds, Stellar Spectrophotometry, Supernovae, H Alpha Line, Infrared Photometry, Infrared Spectra, Ubv Spectra

Scientific paper

Optical and infrared observations of SN 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) covering the first 7 weeks after discovery are presented. Over this period, the spectra were dominated by strong P Cygni emission lines of hydrogen, making this supernova a Type II event. Nevertheless, nearly all aspects of the behavior of SN 1987A have been unusual. The optical spectral and color evolution, while closely resembling that of a normal "plateau" Type II supernova, took place at a rate that was ˜10 times faster than normal. The expansion velocity of the photosphere, which was unusually high at first, decreased more rapidly than usual by a similar factor. Measurements of several presupernova plates and an objective-prism spectrum of the suspected progenitor, Sanduleak -69°202, rule out the presence of a previously undetected luminous red supergiant, but do suggest the existence of a less luminous red star. In spite of its very rapid spectral, color, and velocity evolution, SN 1987A continues to brighten slowly at visual wavelengths. This behavior suggests an additional source of energy input, with the most obvious candidate being the radioactive decay of 56Co.

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