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The Supernova Impostors

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Eta Carinae and the Supernova Impostors

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 384))

Abstract

The “supernova impostors” in nearby galaxies mimic the appearance of a true supernova, but rather than a terminal explosion, the impostors appear to be massive stars that have undergone a powerful eruption. Several of these have energetics comparable to true supernovae, and may, in fact, be analogous to the Great Eruption of η Carinae in the 1800s. We distinguish the observed characteristics of impostors from true supernovae. We discuss in detail the prototypical impostor, SN 1961V. We also discuss other known examples where available data imply that these are also impostors. Finally, we connect the impostors to true supernova events—in other words, several recent supernovae appear to have progenitors which experienced high mass-loss events immediately prior to explosion, with one case clearly having an impostor-like eruption only 2 years before discovery as a supernova. The supernova impostors represent rare instances of analogs to η Car and other known luminous blue variables from which we can acquire important insight into the final stages in the evolution of very massive stars.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the generosity of R P Kirshner for making spectra of SNe 1999bw and 2001ac from the CfA Supernova group available to us. Based on observations obtained at the Hale Telescope, Palomar Observatory as part of a continuing collaboration between Caltech, NASA/JPL, and Cornell University. This work is based in part on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech under a contract with NASA.

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  1. Spitzer Science Center, Caltech 220-6, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    Schuyler D. Van Dyk

  2. National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85719-4933, USA

    Thomas Matheson

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  1. Schuyler D. Van Dyk
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  2. Thomas Matheson
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Correspondence to Schuyler D. Van Dyk .

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  1. Dept. Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Church Street SE., 116, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Kris Davidson

  2. Dept. Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Church Street SE., 116, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Roberta M. Humphreys

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Van Dyk, S.D., Matheson, T. (2012). The Supernova Impostors. In: Davidson, K., Humphreys, R. (eds) Eta Carinae and the Supernova Impostors. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 384. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2275-4_11

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