Physics
Scientific paper
Jul 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006hst..prop10867k&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #10867. Cycle 15
Physics
Scientific paper
SAINTS is a program to observe SN 1987A, the brightest supernova in 383 years, as it morphs into the youngest supernova remnant at age 19. HST is a unique tool for spatially-resolved observations of the many physical components of SN 1987A. A violent encounter is now underway between the fastest-moving debris and the circumstellar ring: the collision excites "hotspots" that light up suddenly. The optical, infrared and X-ray fluxes are rising rapidly and vary significantly on 6-month time scales: regularly-spaced HST, SPITZER, and CHANDRA observations are needed to understand the physics of these shocked regions. In Cycle 15, the many separate hotspots may begin to fuse as the shock fully enters the circumstellar ring. Photons from these shocks may excite previously invisible gas outside the ring, revealing the true extent of the mass loss that preceded the explosion of Sanduleak -69 202. The inner debris of the explosion itself, still excited by radioactive isotopes produced in the explosion, is now resolved by ACS and seen to be aspherical, providing direct evidence on the asymmetry of the explosion. Many questions about SN 1987A remain unanswered despite our diligent efforts at observation and analysis since the launch of HST. How did the enigmatic three rings form? Precisely what took place in the core during the core collapse and bounce? Is a black hole or a neutron star left behind in the debris? The rich and deep data set from SAINTS will be a resource for current use and for future reference to help answer these central questions of supernova science.
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