SN2011fe - easier the second time around

[m_j_lyons]

Better conditions tonight (fewer clouds...light breeze...low 70s F) than last night (mostly cloudy).

Used the 25mm eyepiece and star hopped up from Mizar and made and found the sighting of SN2011fe pretty easy tonight. A nice triangle formed with the two mag 9.x stars that show E and NE of M101.

I rate the SN at 10.3 now becuase it appeared as bright/dim as the mag 10.35 star (no HIP # in Stellarium) on the lower of the two "mag 9 anchor stars" (HIP68503) and the "NE corner of the box" (HIP68332).

See very quickly (poorly) done graphic of the proximity to the SN.

Dark skys and happy hunting. I'm finding it now with a 4.5" scope in pretty heavily light polluted skies. So you can too!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice one. I think I spotted the SN through 15x70 bins yesterday, but I am not sure.

[andrew63]

I imagine it will start to tail off in brightness pretty soon - wonder how quick it will drop?

andrew

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I think the decay rate is about 0.15-0.2 mag per day. If it has passed the peak, it should decay from 10.3 to 13.3 (still visible in my scope even at lower altitude) in about 2 to 3 weeks.

[m_j_lyons]

It was a quick find again last night...I'm going to try to keep observing nightly to see when I lose sight (about mag 11) with my scope. I'd guess in 7-10 days. We'll see.

[m_j_lyons]

Also - it's interesting that the recent issue of Sky & Telecope discusses supernovas...dont' recall the article giving a rate of decay.

[m_j_lyons]

OK, last night I got a crazy hair and attempted to capture SN2011fe with afocal photography. My result is below...my camera is a little heavy for the afocal mount so it's hard to get the camera in proper position.

BUT, I think I may have actually gotten it with a 3 second exposure at 1600 iso.

You can clearly see a triangle of stars...and I know the scope was looking at the right location when I moved the camera in position.

Attachment 1: My attempt to capture SN2011fe in M101. M101 is not visible but the expected 'triangle' is visible.

Attachment 2: Mizar and neighbors. The afocal mount pulled the eyepiece just slightly out of focus but you can see Mizar and it's close pairing zeta uMa as a fuzzy clump, then you can pick out Alcor and the mag 7.5 star in betwen the two.