Related papers: Around the Pair Instability Valley - Massive SN Pr…

Supernova 2006gy in the galaxy NGC 1260 is the most luminous one recorded \cite{2006CBET..644....1Q, 2006CBET..647....1H, 2006CBET..648....1P, 2006CBET..695....1F}. Its progenitor might have been a very massive ($>100$ \msun) star…

We present optical photometry and spectroscopy of SN 2016iet, an unprecedented Type I supernova (SN) at $z=0.0676$ with no obvious analog in the existing literature. The peculiar light curve has two roughly equal brightness peaks ($\approx…

Knowledge of the formation of neutron stars (NSs) in supernova (SN) explosions is of fundamental importance in wide areas of contemporary astrophysics: X-ray binaries, magnetars, radio pulsars, and, not least, double NS systems which merge…

We present an optical photometric and spectroscopic study of the very luminous type IIn SN 2006gy for a time period spanning more than one year. In photometry, a broad, bright (M_R~-21.7) peak characterizes all BVRI light curves.…

We show that the luminous supernovae (SNe) associated with ultra-long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) can be related to the slow cooling from the explosions of hydrogen-free progenitors extended by pulsational pair-instability. In the accompanying…

Core-collapse supernovae are among the most fascinating phenomena in astrophysics and provide a formidable challenge for theoretical investigation. They mark the spectacular end of the lives of massive stars and, in an explosive eruption,…

We present an analysis of the optical and near-infrared properties of SN 2022lxg, a bright ($\rm M_{g\, \mathrm{peak}}=-19.41$ mag) and rapidly evolving SN. It was discovered within a day of explosion, and rose to peak brightness in 10 d.…

We examine catalogs of white dwarfs (WDs) and find that there are sufficient number of massive WDs, M_WD > 1.35Mo, that might potentially explode as type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) in the frame of the core degenerate scenario. In the core…

For typical models of binary statistics, 50-70% of core-collapse supernova (ccSN) progenitors are members of a stellar binary at the time of the explosion. Independent of any consequences of mass transfer, this has observational…

We present observations of the unusually luminous Type II supernova (SN) 2016gsd. With a peak absolute magnitude of V = $-$19.95 $\pm$ 0.08, this object is one of the brightest Type II SNe, and lies in the gap of magnitudes between the…

Core-collapse supernovae (SNe), marking the deaths of massive stars, are among the most powerful explosions in the Universe, responsible, e.g., for a predominant synthesis of chemical elements in their host galaxies. The majority of massive…

We report the discovery of a supernova (SN) with the highest apparent energy output to date and conclude that it represents an extreme example of the Type IIn subclass. The SN, which was discovered behind the Large Magellanic Cloud at z =…

We analyze the late time evolution of 12 supernovae (SNe) occurring over the last ${\sim}$41 years, including nine Type IIP/L, two IIb, and one Ib/c, using UBVR optical data from the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) and difference imaging.…

When the ejecta of supernovae interact with the progenitor star's circumstellar environment, a strong shock is driven back into the ejecta, causing the material to become bright optically and in X-rays. Most notably, as the shock traverses…

Supernovae (SNe), the catastrophic end of stars' lives, are among the most energetic phenomena in the universe. Mapping the aftermath of the explosions to the properties of pre-SN stars is challenging due to the lack of knowledge about the…

In recent years, the viability of the pair-instability supernova (PISN) scenario for explaining superluminous supernovae has all but disappeared except for a few slowly-evolving examples. However, PISN are not predicted to be superluminous…

Planetary nebulae (PNe) represent the near endpoints of evolution for stars of initial mass $\sim$1-8 $M_\odot$, wherein the envelope of an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star becomes photodissociated and ionized by high-energy radiation…

The first stars are the key to the formation of primitive galaxies, early cosmological reionization and chemical enrichment, and the origin of supermassive black holes. Unfortunately, in spite of their extreme luminosities, individual…

Core collapse of dense massive star clusters is unavoidable and this leads to the formation of massive objects, with a mass up to 1000 $\msun$ and even larger. When these objects become stars, stellar wind mass loss determines their…

Observed supermassive black holes in the early universe have several proposed formation channels, in part because most of these channels are difficult to probe. One of the more promising channels, the direct collapse of a supermassive star,…