Capturing Supernova SN2025vzq: A Glimpse into Stellar Demise
Recently, the astronomical community has been abuzz with the detection of a new supernova, designated SN2025vzq, located within the majestic spiral galaxy NGC 7606. This dramatic stellar explosion, a final act in the life of a massive star, offers us a precious opportunity to study the universe's most energetic events. We were fortunate enough to point our 17-inch Planewave CDK telescope towards this distant phenomenon and gather some incredible data.
The Observation
Our observations of SN2025vzq took place on September 10th and 11th. The supernova resides approximately 100 million light-years away in the galaxy NGC 7606. To capture the faint light of this distant event, we employed a total of 151 minutes of integration time, broken down across different photometric filters. This allowed us to gather detailed color information about the supernova's spectrum.
Here's a breakdown of the data acquisition:
- Lum/Clear: 1 hour 26 minutes (86 × 60")
- Photometric B: 16 minutes (16 × 60")
- Photometric V: 24 minutes (24 × 60")
- Photometric R: 25 minutes (25 × 60")
This comprehensive data set, processed using the powerful PixInsight software, allows for a detailed analysis of the supernova's characteristics.
Equipment Used
Capturing such a distant and faint object requires specialized equipment:
- Telescope: Planewave CDK17
- Camera: QHYCCD QHY600 Pro M
- Filters: Astrodon Clear 65x65 mm, Astrodon Sloan Gen2 r' 50x50 mm, Baader Bessel-B 65x65 mm, Baader Bessel-V 65x65 mm
- Software: Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight, Siril Team Siril
Witnessing Stellar Demise
Supernovae are more than just beautiful celestial fireworks; they are fundamental to our understanding of the cosmos. They are responsible for forging and dispersing heavy elements, the very building blocks of planets and life. Studying supernovae like SN2025vzq helps astronomers refine models of stellar evolution and understand the dynamics of galaxies.
For those interested in seeing the supernova in action and learning more about the capture process, we've put together a short video. You can watch it here:
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore the wonders of the universe!
