Related papers: The red supergiant progenitor luminosity problem
Massive stars are of interest as progenitors of super novae, i.e. neutron stars and black holes, which can be sources of gravitational waves. Recent population synthesis models can predict neutron star and gravitational wave observations…
We present follow-up imaging and spectroscopy and pre-explosion imaging of supernova (SN) 2025pht located in NGC 1637 at 12 Mpc. Our spectroscopy shows that SN 2025pht is a Type II SN with broad lines of hydrogen and with minimal…
We present the discovery of a red supergiant star that exploded as supernova 2003gd in the nearby spiral galaxy M74. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the Gemini Telescope imaged this galaxy 6 to 9 months before the supernova explosion…
The increasing observed number of supernova events allows for finding ever more frequently the progenitor star in archive images. In a few cases, the progenitor star is a yellow supergiant star. The estimated position in the…
Observationally, supernovae (SNe) are divided into subclasses pertaining to their distinct characteristics. This diversity reflects the diversity in the progenitor stars. It is not entirely clear how different evolutionary paths leading…
The progenitors of many Type II supernovae have been observationally identified but the search for Type Ibc supernova (SN Ibc) progenitors has thus far been unsuccessful, despite the expectation that they are luminous Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars.…
In our preceding paper, Liverpool Telescope data of M31 novae in eruption were used to facilitate a search for their progenitor systems within archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data, with the aim of detecting systems with red giant…
Using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA)+STELLA, we show that very different physical models can adequately reproduce a specific observed Type II-Plateau Supernova (SN). We consider SN2004A, SN2004et, SN2009ib,…
Core-collapse supernova (SN) explosions mark the end of the tumultuous life of massive stars. Determining the nature of their progenitors is a crucial step towards understanding the properties of SNe. Until recently, no progenitor has been…
Several Type IIb supernovae (SNe IIb) have been extensively studied, both in terms of the progenitor radius and the mass-loss rate in the final centuries before the explosion. While the sample is still limited, evidence has been…
Deriving the physical properties of red supergiants (RSGs) depends upon accurate corrections for reddening by dust. We use our recent modeling of the optical spectra of RSGs to address this topic. We find: (1) Previous broad-band studies…
The search for the progenitors of six core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) in archival HST WFPC2 pre-explosion imaging is presented here. These SNe are 1999an, 1999br, 1999ev, 2000ds, 2000ew and 2001B. Post-explosion imaging of the SNe, with…
We identify the progenitor star of SN 2023ixf in the nearby galaxy Messier 101 using Keck/NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging and pre-explosion HST/ACS images. The supernova position, localized with diffraction-spike pattern and high precision…
As one of the closest supernovae (SNe) in the last decade, SN 2023ixf is an unprecedented target to investigate the progenitor star that exploded. However, there is still significant uncertainty in the reported progenitor properties. In…
Through comparison of pre- and post-explosion images obtained with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 onboard the Hubble Space Telescope, we have isolated a supergiant star prior to explosion at nearly the same position as the…
We show that it is not possible to determine the final mass $M_{\rm fin}$ of a red supergiant (RSG) at the pre-supernova (SN) stage from its luminosity $L$ and effective temperature $T_{\rm eff}$ alone. Using a grid of stellar models, we…
Mass-loss in red supergiants (RSGs) is generally recognized to be episodic, but mass-loss prescriptions fail to reflect this. Evolutionary models show that the total amount of mass lost during this phase determines if these stars evolve to…
Although all Type II supernovae (SNe) originate from massive stars possessing a hydrogen-rich envelope, their light curve morphology is diverse, reflecting poorly characterised heterogeneity in the physical properties of their progenitor…
We present Large Binocular Telescope difference imaging data for the final years of four Type II-P/L supernovae progenitors. For all four, we find no significant evidence for stochastic or steady variability in the U, B, V, or R-bands. Our…
We present and analyze the extensive optical broadband photometry of the Type II SN 2023ixf up to one year after explosion. We find that, when compared to two pre-existing model grids, the bolometric light curve is consistent with…