SN 2018cow

SN 2018cow[1]
Location of SN 2018cow; image taken by SDSS
Event typeAstronomical explosion
SN Ib Edit this on Wikidata
Date16 June 2018, 10:35:02 (2018-06-16UTC10:35:02) UTC[2]
InstrumentATLAS-HKO[2]
ConstellationHercules
Right ascension16h 16m 00.2242s[3] 16h 16m 00.22s[2] (244.000927647)[4]
Declination+22° 16′ 04.890″[3] +22° 16′ 04.83″[2] (+22.2680094118)[4]
EpochJ2000.0
Distance200 Mly (60 Mpc)[2]
Redshift0.014145,[2] 0.0136[5] (0.01406/parent galaxy)[5]
Other designations18abcfcoo, 18actuhrs, SN 2018cow, ATLAS 18qqn, AT 2018cow
Websiteatlas.fallingstar.com
  Related media on Commons
[edit on Wikidata]

SN 2018cow (ATLAS name: ATLAS18qqn; also known as Supernova 2018cow, AT 2018cow (AT = Astronomical Transient), and "The Cow") was a very powerful astronomical explosion, 10–100 times brighter than a normal supernova, spatially coincident with galaxy CGCG 137-068, approximately 200 million ly (60 million pc) distant in the Hercules constellation. It was discovered on 16 June 2018 by the ATLAS-HKO telescope, and had generated significant interest among astronomers throughout the world. Later, on 10 July 2018, and after AT 2018cow had significantly faded, astronomers, based on follow-up studies with the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), formally described AT 2018cow as SN 2018cow, a type Ib supernova, showing an "unprecedented spectrum for a supernova of this class"; although others, mostly at first but also more recently, have referred to it as a type Ic-BL supernova. An explanation to help better understand the unique features of AT 2018cow has been presented. AT2018cow is one of the few reported Fast Blue Optical Transients (FBOTs) observed in the Universe. In May 2020, however, a much more powerful FBOT than AT 2018cow (namely, CRTS-CSS161010 J045834-081803, or CSS161010 for short) was reportedly observed.[6]

On 2 November 2018, two independent teams of astronomers both concluded that the AT 2018cow event was "either a newly formed black hole in the process of accreting matter, or the frenetic rotation of a neutron star."[7][8][9][10]

In January 2019, astronomers proposed that the explosion may have been a white dwarf being pulled apart by a black hole; or a supernova leaving behind a black hole or a neutron star, the creation of a compact body being observed for the first time.[11][12][13] On 13 December 2021, astronomers reported that AT 2018cow, an extreme FBOT, "could be a neutron star or black hole with a mass less than 850 solar masses" based on high-time-resolution X-ray observation studies.[14][15]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NASA-20190110 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference AT-20180617 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference AT-20180731 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference TNS-20180622 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference AT-20180710 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Morris, Amanda (26 May 2020). "Astrophysicists capture new class of transient objects". Phys.org. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference NAT-20181102 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference ARX-20181025 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference ARX-20181028 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference ARX-20180812 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference EA-20190110 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference DT-20190113 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference ATL-20190113 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Griffin, Andrew (13 December 2021). "Scientists finally have explanation for incredibly bright light that came from deep in space". The Independent. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  15. ^ Pasham, Dheeraj R.; et al. (13 December 2021). "Evidence for a compact object in the aftermath of the extragalactic transient AT2018cow". Nature Astronomy. 74 (2): 249–258. arXiv:2112.04531. Bibcode:2022NatAs...6..249P. doi:10.1038/s41550-021-01524-8. S2CID 245131656. Retrieved 13 December 2021.