M101 with SN2011fe 'by accident'

[661-pete]

I should explain. Had just over a week in France last week, slightly better luck than previous trip (in which I never even got the 'scope out). We travelled out on 24th August and have no internet access whilst we're there.

I think the announcement about the SN in M101 broke on 25th August. Whatever, I knew absolutely nothing about it until I returned home late last night and saw the buzz on the astro forums...

Anyway, on 1st Sept it promised to be a reasonably clear night so I set up and was planning to do a glob or two from Ophiuchus, but but the time I'd aligned there was light cloud all over the south, the only clear area left was to the north, so I thought to myself, haven't done M101 for a few years, let's give it a bash.

Not claiming anything special about this result, mind you: it was 15x3min on the old Europa250 plus 350D combi which I've been using for years. I had more than the average number of spoilt frames, due to planes crossing, drifting clouds, trailing etc. etc.

When I compared it with my previous M101 done in 2006, I decided it wasn't really an improvement . And I didn't even notice the extra 'dot' on it: I swear!

So this really is a SN 'by mistake'....

Ah well, here it is. I sympathise with all you guys back here in UK who haven't had a clear sky since the SN was announced...

Incidentally I reckon the magnitude at about 11 to 11.5 on 1st Sept, I think it's brightened since then. They're saying it could be a binoculars object, could it?

[Beyond_Vision]

Nicely done, it's great to get your own personal record of this event. I managed to ****** it through the gaps in the clouds the other night

Regards

Kevin

[West End Wendy]

Just saw this for myself tonight, using the Watec.

It's distinctly brighter than the core of M101 - makes you realise how bright a supernova in our own galaxy would look.

Tim.

[661-pete]

Nicely done, it's great to get your own personal record of this event. I managed to ****** it through the gaps in the clouds the other night

Regards

Kevin

Thanks. I'm utterly baffled as to what your "******" could possibly have stood for!?

Seems like this is swelling into an event of considerable significance, the brightest type 1A supernova since 1987A so I've heard. And the important thing is, it was caught early - possibly only a few hours after eruption. I suppose that's because M101 the Pinwheel is such a popular object, and there must be hundreds of amateurs observing or imaging it, somewhere in the world, on any one night. The first few hours are crucial in understanding how these things work.

Just saw this for myself tonight, using the Watec.

It's distinctly brighter than the core of M101 - makes you realise how bright a supernova in our own galaxy would look.

Tim.

Evidently it's now brighter than in my 1st Sept capture then, because I make it a bit fainter than the core. Keep watching this if weather permits!

[callisto]

Exellent, well done.

There has NOT been one clear night up here to view this SN since its outburst