Detection of candidate progenitor of SN 2023ixf in HST archival data
ATel #16050; Monika Soraisam, Tom Matheson, Jen Andrews (NOIRLab), Gautham Narayan, Patrick Aleo (UIUC), ANTARES team
on 23 May 2023; 22:16 UT
Credential Certification: Monika Soraisam (monika.soraisam@noirlab.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Star, Supernovae, Transient
Referred to by ATel #: 16060
We searched the HST archival data for the progenitor of SN 2023ixf. A clear source can be seen at the SN position (https://antares.noirlab.edu/loci/ANT2023l4lgj6bhp4rt) in the F814W image from the HST program 9490 (PI: Kuntz), which was observed on UT 2002-11-16. The source is, however, not visible in the bluer bands (F435W and F555W). We measure a preliminary F814W magnitude of 24.39+/-0.08 for the source. Considering it as the candidate progenitor of SN 2023ixf and using a distance modulus of 29.05 for M101 (Shappee and Stanek, 2011, ApJ, 733), we obtain an approximate absolute magnitude (no extinction correction) of -4.66, which is in line with a supergiant progenitor.
