Supernovae and CCDs (Abstract)

Volume 21 number 1 (1992)

William Herbst

Wesleyan University, Astronomy Department, Middletown, CT

Abstract

(Abstract only) Some stars end their lives by self-destructing in the cataclysmic explosion which we call a supernova. For a week or two, the supernova can outshine the galaxy in which it is embedded. Currently about 50 supernovae per year are being discovered (some by amateurs), most of which are fainter than 16th magnitude. Several per year are in the range of 12th to 14th magnitude at peak brightness and are easy objects for small telescopes equipped with CCDs. Such telescopes can make important contributions to supernova studies in two areas: discovery and follow-up photometry. Some members of the Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium are engaged in a program to monitor photometrically newly discovered supernovae. The rather demanding instrumental and observing procedure requirements of this task are briefly reviewed. Amateur astronomers with CCDs could undoubtedly increase the discovery rate for bright supernovae if they resolved to do so, and some strategies for undertaking this kind of work are discussed.