We report the discovery of ASASSN-15lh (SN 2015L), which we interpret as the most luminous supernova yet found. At redshift z = 0.2326, ASASSN-15lh reached an absolute magnitude of M_{u,AB} = -23.5+/-0.1 and bolometric luminosity L_bol = (2.2+/-0.2)x 10^45 ergs s^-1, which is more than twice as luminous as any previously known supernova. It has several major features characteristic of the hydrogen-poor super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe-I), whose energy sources and progenitors are currently poorly understood. In contrast to most previously known SLSNe-I that reside in star-forming dwarf galaxies, ASASSN-15lh appears to be hosted by a luminous galaxy (M_K ~ -25.5) with little star formation. In the 4 months since first detection, ASASSN-15lh radiated (1.1+/- 0.2)x10^52 ergs, challenging the magnetar model for its engine.
@article{arxiv.1507.03010,
title = {ASASSN-15lh: A Highly Super-Luminous Supernova},
author = {Subo Dong and B. J. Shappee and J. L. Prieto and S. W. Jha and K. Z. Stanek and T. W. -S. Holoien and C. S. Kochanek and T. A. Thompson and N. Morrell and I. B. Thompson and U. Basu and J. F. Beacom and D. Bersier and J. Brimacombe and J. S. Brown and F. Bufano and Ping Chen and E. Conseil and A. B. Danilet and E. Falco and D. Grupe and S. Kiyota and G. Masi and B. Nicholls and F. Olivares and G. Pignata and G. Pojmanski and G. V. Simonian and D. M. Szczygiel and P. R. Wozniak},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1507.03010},
year = {2016}
}
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Published in the January 15, 2016 Issue of Science Magazine