Discovery of an unusual optical transient with the hubble space telescope

K. Barbary; K. S. Dawson; K. Tokita; G. Aldering; R. Amanullah; N. V. Connolly; M. Doi; L. Faccioli; V. Fadeyev; A. S. Fruchter; G. Goldhaber; A. Goobar; A. Gude; X. Huang; Y. Ihara; K. Konishi; M. Kowalski; C. Lidman; J. Meyers; T. Morokuma; P. Nugent; S. Perlmutter; D. Rubin; D. Schlegel; A. L. Spadafora; N. Suzuki; H. K. Swift; N. Takanashi; R. C. Thomas; N. Yasuda

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/1358

Discovery of an unusual optical transient with the hubble space telescope

K. Barbary^*, K. S. Dawson, K. Tokita, G. Aldering, R. Amanullah, N. V. Connolly, M. Doi, L. Faccioli, V. Fadeyev, A. S. Fruchter, G. Goldhaber, A. Goobar, A. Gude, X. Huang, Y. Ihara, K. Konishi, M. Kowalski, C. Lidman, J. Meyers, T. MorokumaP. Nugent, S. Perlmutter, D. Rubin, D. Schlegel, A. L. Spadafora, N. Suzuki, H. K. Swift, N. Takanashi, R. C. Thomas, N. Yasuda

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

109 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present observations of SCP 06F6, an unusual optical transient discovered during the Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey. The transient brightened over a period of 100 days, reached a peak magnitude of 21.0 in both i ₇₇₅ and z ₈₅₀, and then declined over a similar timescale. There is no host galaxy or progenitor star detected at the location of the transient to a 3σ upper limit of i ₇₇₅ ≥ 26.4 and z ₈₅₀ ≥ 26.1, giving a corresponding lower limit on the flux increase of a factor of 120. Multiple spectra show five broad absorption bands between 4100 and 6500 Å, and a mostly featureless continuum longward of 6500 Å. The shape of the light curve is inconsistent with microlensing. The transient's spectrum, in addition to being inconsistent with all known supernova types, does not match any spectrum in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database. We suggest that the transient may be one of a new class.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1358-1362
Number of pages	5
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	690
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/1358
Publication status	Published - 2009
Externally published	Yes

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Barbary, K., Dawson, K. S., Tokita, K., Aldering, G., Amanullah, R., Connolly, N. V., Doi, M., Faccioli, L., Fadeyev, V., Fruchter, A. S., Goldhaber, G., Goobar, A., Gude, A., Huang, X., Ihara, Y., Konishi, K., Kowalski, M., Lidman, C., Meyers, J., ... Yasuda, N. (2009). Discovery of an unusual optical transient with the hubble space telescope. Astrophysical Journal, 690(2), 1358-1362. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/1358

@article{9d2bdab8c35141458ee1819ac0c2e7d2,

title = "Discovery of an unusual optical transient with the hubble space telescope",

abstract = "We present observations of SCP 06F6, an unusual optical transient discovered during the Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey. The transient brightened over a period of 100 days, reached a peak magnitude of 21.0 in both i 775 and z 850, and then declined over a similar timescale. There is no host galaxy or progenitor star detected at the location of the transient to a 3σ upper limit of i 775 ≥ 26.4 and z 850 ≥ 26.1, giving a corresponding lower limit on the flux increase of a factor of 120. Multiple spectra show five broad absorption bands between 4100 and 6500 {\AA}, and a mostly featureless continuum longward of 6500 {\AA}. The shape of the light curve is inconsistent with microlensing. The transient's spectrum, in addition to being inconsistent with all known supernova types, does not match any spectrum in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database. We suggest that the transient may be one of a new class.",

keywords = "Stars: variables: other",

author = "K. Barbary and Dawson, {K. S.} and K. Tokita and G. Aldering and R. Amanullah and Connolly, {N. V.} and M. Doi and L. Faccioli and V. Fadeyev and Fruchter, {A. S.} and G. Goldhaber and A. Goobar and A. Gude and X. Huang and Y. Ihara and K. Konishi and M. Kowalski and C. Lidman and J. Meyers and T. Morokuma and P. Nugent and S. Perlmutter and D. Rubin and D. Schlegel and Spadafora, {A. L.} and N. Suzuki and Swift, {H. K.} and N. Takanashi and Thomas, {R. C.} and N. Yasuda",

year = "2009",

doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/1358",

language = "English",

volume = "690",

pages = "1358--1362",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

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Barbary, K, Dawson, KS, Tokita, K, Aldering, G, Amanullah, R, Connolly, NV, Doi, M, Faccioli, L, Fadeyev, V, Fruchter, AS, Goldhaber, G, Goobar, A, Gude, A, Huang, X, Ihara, Y, Konishi, K, Kowalski, M, Lidman, C, Meyers, J, Morokuma, T, Nugent, P, Perlmutter, S, Rubin, D, Schlegel, D, Spadafora, AL, Suzuki, N, Swift, HK, Takanashi, N, Thomas, RC & Yasuda, N 2009, 'Discovery of an unusual optical transient with the hubble space telescope', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 690, no. 2, pp. 1358-1362. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/1358

TY - JOUR

T1 - Discovery of an unusual optical transient with the hubble space telescope

AU - Barbary, K.

AU - Dawson, K. S.

AU - Tokita, K.

AU - Aldering, G.

AU - Amanullah, R.

AU - Connolly, N. V.

AU - Doi, M.

AU - Faccioli, L.

AU - Fadeyev, V.

AU - Fruchter, A. S.

AU - Goldhaber, G.

AU - Goobar, A.

AU - Gude, A.

AU - Huang, X.

AU - Ihara, Y.

AU - Konishi, K.

AU - Kowalski, M.

AU - Lidman, C.

AU - Meyers, J.

AU - Morokuma, T.

AU - Nugent, P.

AU - Perlmutter, S.

AU - Rubin, D.

AU - Schlegel, D.

AU - Spadafora, A. L.

AU - Suzuki, N.

AU - Swift, H. K.

AU - Takanashi, N.

AU - Thomas, R. C.

AU - Yasuda, N.

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - We present observations of SCP 06F6, an unusual optical transient discovered during the Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey. The transient brightened over a period of 100 days, reached a peak magnitude of 21.0 in both i 775 and z 850, and then declined over a similar timescale. There is no host galaxy or progenitor star detected at the location of the transient to a 3σ upper limit of i 775 ≥ 26.4 and z 850 ≥ 26.1, giving a corresponding lower limit on the flux increase of a factor of 120. Multiple spectra show five broad absorption bands between 4100 and 6500 Å, and a mostly featureless continuum longward of 6500 Å. The shape of the light curve is inconsistent with microlensing. The transient's spectrum, in addition to being inconsistent with all known supernova types, does not match any spectrum in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database. We suggest that the transient may be one of a new class.

AB - We present observations of SCP 06F6, an unusual optical transient discovered during the Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey. The transient brightened over a period of 100 days, reached a peak magnitude of 21.0 in both i 775 and z 850, and then declined over a similar timescale. There is no host galaxy or progenitor star detected at the location of the transient to a 3σ upper limit of i 775 ≥ 26.4 and z 850 ≥ 26.1, giving a corresponding lower limit on the flux increase of a factor of 120. Multiple spectra show five broad absorption bands between 4100 and 6500 Å, and a mostly featureless continuum longward of 6500 Å. The shape of the light curve is inconsistent with microlensing. The transient's spectrum, in addition to being inconsistent with all known supernova types, does not match any spectrum in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database. We suggest that the transient may be one of a new class.

KW - Stars: variables: other

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=65549140097&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/1358

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/690/2/1358

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:65549140097

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 690

SP - 1358

EP - 1362

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2

ER -

Discovery of an unusual optical transient with the hubble space telescope

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