SN 2006gy
2006 hypernova in constellation Perseus / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about SN 2006gy?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
SN 2006gy was an extremely energetic supernova, also referred to as a hypernova,[4] that was discovered on September 18, 2006. It was first observed by Robert Quimby and P. Mondol,[2][5] and then studied by several teams of astronomers using facilities that included the Chandra, Lick, and Keck Observatories.[6][7] In May 2007 NASA and several of the astronomers announced the first detailed analyses of the supernova, describing it as the "brightest stellar explosion ever recorded".[8] In October 2007 Quimby announced that SN 2005ap had broken SN 2006gy's record as the brightest-ever recorded supernova, and several subsequent discoveries are brighter still.[9][10] Time magazine listed the discovery of SN 2006gy as third in its Top 10 Scientific Discoveries for 2007.[11]
Event type | Hypernova |
---|---|
IIn[1] | |
Date | 18 September 2006 |
Constellation | Perseus |
Right ascension | 03h 17m 27.10s[2] |
Declination | +41° 24′ 19.50″[2] |
Epoch | J2000 |
Galactic coordinates | 150.2568 -13.5916 |
Distance | 238,000,000 Ly (73 Mpc)[3] |
Remnant | N/A |
Host | NGC 1260 |
Progenitor | Hypergiant in NGC 1260 galaxy |
Progenitor type | Hypergiant star very similar to Eta Carinae |
Colour (B-V) | −0.50 ~ +1.60 |
Notable features | is located 2.0" W and 0.4" N of the center of NGC 1260 |
Peak apparent magnitude | +14.2 |
Other designations | SN 2006gy |
Related media on Commons | |