[vsolj-alert 371] Possible SN in M63

[Taichi Kato <tkato@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp>]

Possible SN in M63

　以下のようなＭ６３の超新星？確認依頼が来ました。中心のすぐ近くのようです。
　確認が望まれます。（もし確認結果が何か得られましたら、vsnet-alertの方にも
　報告していただけますと幸いです）。

M63 SN suspect?

   Forwarded request from B. Skiff:

   The attached two images are available at:

   http://ftp.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/pub/vsnet/SNe/query/M63/m63a.gif
   http://ftp.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/pub/vsnet/SNe/query/M63/m63b.gif

   Confirmation is urgently needed!

================================================

Taichi,
     Attached below is an image of M63 apparently showing a supernova suspect
near the center.  Would it be possible to post this for the vsnet group and
forward the message to the vsnet-alert and Italian SN mailing-lists?  Thanks.

\Brian

================================================


Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 19:51:33 -0700
From: Roger N Clark <rnclark@uswest.net>
To: Brian Skiff <bas@lowell.Lowell.Edu>
Subject: Possible supernove in M63
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Brian.
Perhaps you can help.  Below is an observational report on a
possible supernova I sent in to Sky and Tel as part of their
new astro alert service, but I have heard no reply at all.
First message went in saturday (by cell phone from
deep in the Colorado Rockies (not so deep any more!) to a freind
who emailed).
I do not know for certain if this is a supernova, but I think it should
be looked at.  Can you tell me where the modern address is for
such reports?  The last time I did this, it was by telegram.

Roger Clark

========================================

On July 9, 1999 at 10:30 pm Mountain Daylight Time I was
observing M63 with a 12.5-inch telescope at magnifications
up to 408x and it appeared to have a double nucleus.
This was a traight I had not seen before, despite many
observations of M63 with telescopes ranging from 8 to
16 inches.  The star is 13 arc-seconds northwest of the
nucleus (+/- 3 arc-seconds) and visually it is slightly
fainter than the nucleus (estimated about magnitude 14).

A drawing through the 12.5-inch is attached.



[Image]
Drawing 7/9/1999 10:30 - 11:00 pm MDT 12.5-inch telescope
at 98 to 408x by R. Clark.  North is up, image
at 120 pixels per inch gives a plate scale of 3.5
arc-minutes/inch.  Faint
mottling in the outer spiral arms are knots in those arms.

The double nucleus was confirmed in a 20-inch
reflector by Greg Marino of Denver.  I also observed M63 in
Greg's 20-inch.

James Skinner (smskinny@aol.com), also of
Denver imaged M63 with
his 14-inch schmidt-cass working at f/7 with an
ST-6 CCD. Images attached.

[Image]

CCD images by J. Skinner: on the left is a 60-second
exposure, middle is a 5-second exposure, and
on the right is the same 5-second exposure with the
star labeled.  The CCD images show the star
much fainter relative to the nucleus than
it appears visually (perhaps
the low blue sensitivity of the CCD?).

Visual observations on July
10 (one night later) shows the star in
the same position.

The question is, could this be a supernova?  I have observed M63
for many years, including making an independent discovery of
a supernove in M63 (2.4 arc-minutes south of the nucleus)
on May 29, 1971.  Again, I had never noticed the double nucleus,
so it seems like a new star.  Searches for previous images
show the nuclear region overexposed.  Photos I made in 1971 are
too grainy to show the star.

Analysis of the CCD images places the star 13 arc-seconds northwest
of the nucleus (+/- 3 arc-seconds).

Roger N. Clark
Lakewood, Colorado
rnclark@uswest.net or rclark@usgs.gov (work)
303-980-0092 (home) or 303-236-1332 (work)

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