Spectroscopic classification of four optical transients in the Pan-STARRS1 3Pi Faint Galaxy Supernova Survey.

ATel #4665; D. Wright, M. Fraser, S. J. Smartt, R. Kotak, T.-W. Chen, L. Magill, M. McCrum, K. Smith (Queen's University Belfast), S. Valenti(LCOGT/UCSB), F. Bresolin, R. Kudritzki, J. Tonry, E. Magnier, M. Huber, K. Chambers, N. Kaiser, J. Morgan, W. Burgett, J. Heasley, W. Sweeney, C. Waters, H. Flewelling (University of Hawaii), C. Stubbs (Harvard), P. A. Price (Princeton)
on 21 Dec 2012; 15:21 UT
Credential Certification: Morgan Fraser (mfraser02@qub.ac.uk)

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Further to Valenti et al. (ATels #2668, #3351) we report the discovery and spectroscopic confirmation of a Supernova, two QSOs and a variable star in the Pan-STARRS1 3Pi Faint Galaxy Supernova Survey.

PS1-12cni (10:26:32.22 +05:35:08.0) was discovered on 09 Dec 2012 at z=18.83 (in PS1 system ; see Tonry et al. 2012, ApJ, 745, 42), within 0.11" of the galaxy SDSS J102632.22+053508.1 (g=21.65). This is the CRTS source CSS121114:102632+053508 (ATel #4595). A spectrum obtained on 20 Dec 2012 at the William Herschel Telescope with ISIS (range 350-950nm) and fitted using the "Supernova Identification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, ApJ, 666, 1024), shows the transient is a type IIP at z=0.045, which best matches SN 1999em about 40 days after explosion. This is further supported by the CRTS discovery epoch 36 days prior to the classification.

PS1-12cno (09:07:05.21 +11:50:31.9) was discovered at z=18.61 on 15 Dec 2012, within 1.09" of the faint extended source SDSS J090705.25+115032.8 (g=22.71). This is the CRTS source CSS121207:090705+115032. A spectrum obtained on 20 Dec 2012 at WHT+ISIS (range 350-950nm) shows a blue continuum with strong broad emission features at 463.4nm, 518.7nm and 700.3nm consistent with H-gamma, H-beta and H-alpha respectively CSS121122:043924-053205 suggesting a QSO.

PS1-12cnk (10:36:24.79 +11:21:49.7) was discovered on 09 Dec 2012 at z=19.62, within 0.14" of the point source SDSS J103624.79+112149.6 (g=21.00). A spectrum of the transient obtained on 20 Dec 2012 with WHT+ISIS (range 350-950nm) shows a blue continuum with broad emission features at 481.9nm, 747.3nm and 837.1nm presumably MgII, H-gamma and H-beta. This suggests the transient is a QSO at z=0.72 and is supported by the SDSS colours which suggest a QSO.

PS1-12cnd (04:39:24.12 -05:32:05.2) was discovered at i=17.5 on 01 Dec 2012, within 0.22" of the stellar source SDSS J043924.12-053205.3 (g=21.44). This is the CRTS source CSS121122:043924-053205. A spectrum obtained at the WHT+ISIS (range 350-950nm) shows a marginally blue continuum with H-alpha detected at rest wavelength. The transient is presumably a galactic stellar variable despite the SDSS colours suggesting a QSO.

This discovery was enabled using the PS1 System operated by the PS1 Science Consortium (PS1SC) and its member institutions, http://ps1sc.org/PS1_System_ATel.shtml. We would like to thank the PS1 telescope operators for their support of PS1 observations.