Further analysis of the possible progenitor of SN 2008ax in NGC 4490
ATel #1433; Weidong Li
on 19 Mar 2008; 05:38 UT
Credential Certification: Weidong Li (weidong@astron.berkeley.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Supernovae, Transient
W. Li, A. V. Filippenko, University of California, Berkeley, and
S. D. Van Dyk, Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology,
on behalf of a larger team, report:
We have analyzed the available HST/WFPC2 images of the field of
SN 2008ax in NGC 4490, and derive the following photometry for the
possible supernova progenitor star as previously reported in CBET 1290,
CBET 1298, and ATEL 1417: F450W = 23.55 +/- 0.09, F606W = 23.64 +/-
0.13, and F814W = 22.58 +/- 0.08. These magnitudes and colors are
not consistent with a single star having significant reddening
[E(B-V) = 0.5 mag as reported in CBET 1298]. We suggest that the
site of SN 2008ax is contaminated by several sources. A plausible
scenario is that there are two stars near the SN site: one is
the reddened progenitor of SN 2008ax, while the other is a blue
supergiant suffering little extinction (thus unlikely to be related
to SN 2008ax). Further analysis is ongoing.
