Loading AI tools
Supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SN 2023ixf is a type II-L[7][8] (core collapse) supernova located in the Pinwheel Galaxy. It was first observed on 19 May 2023 by Kōichi Itagaki and immediately classified as a type II supernova.[2] Initial magnitude at discovery was 14.9.[2] After discovery, the Zwicky Transient Facility project found a precovery image of the supernova at magnitude 15.87 two days before discovery.[9] The supernova was about 21 million light-years from Earth and is expected to have left behind either a neutron star or black hole, based on current stellar evolution models.
![]() Supernova 2023ixf as seen on 20 May 2023 | |
Supernova | |
Date | c. 21 million years ago (detected 19 May 2023, 17:27 UTC by Koichi Itagaki)[1] |
---|---|
Constellation | Ursa Major |
Right ascension | 14h 03m 38.6s[2] |
Declination | +54° 18′ 42.1″[2] |
Epoch | J2000 |
Distance | c. 21 million ly[2] |
Host | Pinwheel Galaxy[3] |
Progenitor | Supergiant (M=–4.66)[4] |
Peak apparent magnitude | 10.8 (on 22 May 2023)[5][6] |
![]() | |
The supernova is located near a prominent HII region, NGC 5461, in an outer spiral arm of the bright galaxy.[3]
By 22 May 2023, SN 2023ixf had brightened to about magnitude 11.[5][6] It could be seen in telescopes as small as 114 mm (4.5 in)[3] and remained visible with backyard telescopes for several months.[10] The supernova started to fade around 10 June 2023.[11]
The last supernova that close to Earth occurred 9 years previously: SN 2014J in Messier 82, roughly 12 million light-years from Earth.
Before becoming a supernova, the progenitor star is believed to have been a supergiant with an absolute magnitude in the near-infrared (814nm) of MF814W = –4.66.[4]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.