ASAS-SN Discovery of a Bright Transient in UGC 11037

ATel #6126; T. W-S. Holoien, B. J. Shappee (Ohio State), J. Brimacombe (Coral Towers Observatory), K. Z. Stanek, C. S. Kochanek, J. Jencson, U. Basu, A. B. Davis, J. F. Beacom (Ohio State), J. L. Prieto (Princeton), D. Szczygiel, G. Pojmanski (Warsaw University Observatory), D. Bersier (LJMU)
on 7 May 2014; 18:48 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Transients
Credential Certification: Benjamin Shappee (shappee@astronomy.ohio-state.edu)

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During the ongoing All Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN or "Assassin"), using data from the quadruple 14-cm "Brutus" telescope in Haleakala, Hawaii, we discovered a new transient source in the center of UGC 11037:

 
Object       RA (J2000)       DEC (J2000)        Disc. UT Date    Disc. V mag 
ASASSN-14at   17:55:05.434   +18:15:26.45        2014-05-04.47       16.7 

ASASSN-14at was discovered in images obtained 2014 UT May 04.47 at V~16.7 mag. We also detect the transient in images obtained on 2014 UT May 06.48, UT May 06.50, and UT May 07.49, and do not detect (V>17.0) this object in images taken on 2014 UT Apr. 25.53 and before. Images obtained on UT May 5.31 with the RCOS 51-cm telescope in New Mexico (obtained by J. Brimacombe) and on UT May 6.08 with the LCOGT 1-m robotic telescope in Sutherland, South Africa confirm the discovery of the new transient.

This figure shows the ASAS-SN reference image (top left), ASAS-SN discovery subtraction image (top right), archival DSS image (bottom left), and LCOGT confirmation image (bottom right). The red circle has a radius of 3.5" at the position of the SN candidate derived from the LCOGT image.

The transient's position in the LCOGT follow-up image is 0.07” away from the center of UGC 11037 (z=0.010431, d=42 Mpc, via NED), which does not appear to be a known AGN host. This position is consistent with the center of the galaxy given the LCOGT pixel scale of 0.47"/pixel, implying this could be a supernova, activity of a previously unknown AGN, or a tidal disruption event. At a distance of 42 Mpc, the transient has an absolute V mag of approx. -16.6 (m-M=33.12, A_V=0.225, Schlafly & Finkbeiner 2011). Follow-up observations are encouraged.

We thank LCOGT and its staff for their continued support of ASAS-SN. For more information about the ASAS-SN project, see the ASAS-SN Homepage and the list of all ASAS-SN transients.