Supernova 2002bj in NGC 1821

This page is devoted to information on Supernova 2002bj in NGC 1821 Basic information on this SN, including the last reported brightness, on this Supernova can be found on the main page.  Information on the original web pages for many of these images can be found on the updates and links web pages.

Discovered by Jack Newton while scanning images taken by Tim Puckett. Also discovered by LOTOSS. A fairly bright one is the constillation of Lepus. Somewhere around the night of 2002/03/14 this supernova dropped dramatically in brightness. We have a DSS Photometry reference image made by Odd Trondal.  Icon generated from Tim Puckett's discovery image.

Web pages dedicated to this SN.
• Josch Hambsch's 2002bj page
• AUDE has a 2002bj page in French [Translate]

The following is a list of images of this SN, in chronological order. Click on the name in the "observer" column to see the image. Times and dates are in UT unless otherwise noted. If you know of any others, please tell me!

Image Credit	Date	Mag	Filter	Comments
Tim Puckett image	2002/02/28.06	14.8	C	Discovery
LOTOSS image	2002/02/28.2	14.7	CR	Discovery
Josch Hambsch image	2002/03/02.796	14.8	C
JM Llapasset image	2002/03/03.825	14.6:	CR
J. Nicolas image	2002/03/03.868	14.6:	CR
Josch Hambsch image	2002/03/04.790	14.8	C
J. Nicolas image	2002/03/04.815	15.0:	CR
JB. De Vanssay image	2002/03/04.838	14.8	CR
Fred Ewalt image	2002/03/07.008	14.6	C
Ella Sanders image	2002/03/07.71		C
Martin Mobberley image	2002/03/07.849		C
Fred Ewalt image	2002/03/17.050	15.7	C

Light curves and Spectra:
• CfA spectrum Taken 2002/03/06 showing a type II.
• Aude Measurements and light curve.
• VSNET Light curve (requires JAVA).

Other VSNet data on this SN (which will be copied here until VSNET gets it archive working again):
• [vsnet-campaign-sn 361] SN 2002bj in NGC 1821

  Dear SN watchers,

  A bright (discovery mag 14.7-8) SN was discovered by Puckett Obs. and the LOTOSS KAIT. It seems a young object and somewhat luminous as in NGC 1821.

  SN 2002bj was discovered on Feb. 28, and confirmed on the next night at the nearly same magnitude. It was not detected on Feb. 21, so it seems a young object. The position of SN (by KAIT team) is: R.A. = 5h11m46s.37, Decl. = -15o08'10".7 (2000.0), which is about 5" east and 6" south of the apparent center of a irregular-shaped (IB(s)m) galaxy NGC 1821. It lies superimposed on the central bar.

  The recession velocity of NGC 1821 is 3608 km/s (NED value) and there is notable Galactic extinction (A_V \sim 0.3 mag). If this velocity is of the Hubble flow, the expected maximum for typical SN Ia is mag about 15.3, which is already overcome by the discovery mag. The spectroscopic confirmation and further magnitude monitoring is urged.

  Sincerely Yours,
  Hitoshi Yamaoka, Kyushu Univ., Japan
  yamaoka@rc.kyushu-u.ac.jp
  

• [vsnet-campaign-sn 380] SN 2002bj suddenly faded?

  Dear SN watchers,

  I have heard that SN 2002bj suddenly faded, and now around mag 17. It was mag about 14.6 on Mar. 7. The spectrum (IAUC 7844, Gunma and CfA) suggests that it is a luminous IIn SN, but such rapid fading has been observed only in a faint SN IIn. The confirmation of the drop and the follow-up photometry is extremely encouraged.

  Sincerely Yours,
  Hitoshi Yamaoka, Kyushu Univ., Japan
  yamaoka@rc.kyushu-u.ac.jp