ASASSN-16bn: Discovery of A Probable Supernova in 2MASX J03103162+0416184

ATel #8660; G. Masi (Virtual Telescope Project, Ceccano, Italy), J. Brimacombe (Coral Towers Observatory), S. Kiyota (Variable Star Observers League in Japan), J. S. Brown, K. Z. Stanek, T. W.-S. Holoien, C. S. Kochanek, D. Godoy-Rivera, U. Basu (Ohio State), B. J. Shappee (Hubble Fellow, Carnegie Observatories), J. L. Prieto (Diego Portales; MAS), D. Bersier (LJMU), Subo Dong, Ping Chen (KIAA-PKU), G. Bock (Runaway Bay Observatory, Australia), I. Cruz (Cruz Observatory), J. M. Fernandez (Observatory Inmaculada del Molino)
on 9 Feb 2016; 17:35 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Supernovae
Credential Certification: Jonathan Brown (brown@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, most likely a supernova, in the galaxy 2MASX J03103162+0416184.

ASASSN-16bn was discovered in images obtained on UT 2016-02-09.24 at V~15.9 mag. We also detect the object in images obtained on UT 2016-02-02.26 (V~16.4). We do not detect (V>17.3) the object in images taken on UT 2016-01-30.27 and before. Follow-up images obtained on 2016-02-09 confirm the discovery of the transient. This figure shows the archival SDSS g-band image of the host (left) and the G. Masi confirmation image (right). The red circle has a radius of 5" and is centered on the position of the transient in the G. Masi image.

The position of ASASSN-16bn is approximately 6.86" South and 43.23" East from the center of the galaxy 2MASX J03103162+0416184 (z=0.023166, d=94.2 Mpc, via NED), giving an absolute V-band magnitude of approximately -19.4 (m-M=34.82, A_V=0.475). However, we note what appears to be a faint source at the location of the ASASSN-16bn in the SDSS image, which may be the true host. Properties of the new source and photometry are summarized in the tables below:

 
Object       RA (J2000)     DEC (J2000)      Disc. UT Date   Disc. V mag  Approx. Abs. Mag   Offset from Host (") 
ASASSN-16bn  03:10:34.500  +04:16:10.92      2016-02-09.24      15.9          -19.4               43.77 

 
Obs. UT Date         V mag 
2016-01-30.27        >17.3 
2016-02-02.26         16.4 
2016-02-09.24         15.9 

Follow-up observations are encouraged.

We thank LCOGT and its staff for their continued support of ASAS-SN. ASAS-SN is supported by NSF grant AST-1515927, the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP) at OSU, the Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation, George Skestos, and the Robert Martin Ayers Sciences Fund. For more information about the ASAS-SN project, see the ASAS-SN Homepage and the list of all ASAS-SN transients.