May 24, 2023: Bagged my 17th Supernova, second one in M101

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just got home from salsa lessons, to a beautifully clear sky. I printed out an AAVSO chart for SN2023ixf in M101, and set up the Celestron C8. After a quick star-hop, I got to the right area and could clearly spot the supernova, even though the galaxy itself was very hard, even in averted vision. There was no doubt about the supernova being visible, roughly on a par with a mag 11.1 star in the same FOV, clearly fainter than a mag 10.5 star. Pleased with my 17th supernova catch.

[John]

Nice one Michael.

I've just spotted it with my 70mm travel frac. I agree with your magnitude estimate. Brightest SN that I've seen I think.

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

24 minutes ago, John said:

Nice one Michael.

I've just spotted it with my 70mm travel frac. I agree with your magnitude estimate. Brightest SN that I've seen I think.

 

Thanks, I think the previous SN I spotted in M101 was brighter (SN2011FE, mag 9.9, easy target in my 15x70mm binoculars)

[Mark at Beaufort]

Despite the bright Moon I decided to seek out the SN. Used my 150mm Skywatcher Newt and the 20mm Myriad and the 13mm Ethos. Started about 11.10pm just after Nautical darkness and carried on until 15 minutes past midnight.

I could see M101 and having checked where the SN appeared I could see it with the 20mm eyepiece. I then used the 13mm Ethos to get a better view. 

 

 

[DavidR100]

On 24/05/2023 at 23:12, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Just got home from salsa lessons, to a beautifully clear sky. I printed out an AAVSO chart for SN2023ixf in M101, and set up the Celestron C8. After a quick star-hop, I got to the right area and could clearly spot the supernova, even though the galaxy itself was very hard, even in averted vision. There was no doubt about the supernova being visible, roughly on a par with a mag 11.1 star in the same FOV, clearly fainter than a mag 10.5 star. Pleased with my 17th supernova catch.

Well done! Supernovas are really cool and unfortunately something I have neglected in my pursuit of galaxies.  I need to make amends. My only sighting was SN 2014J in M82 - can't believe it was 9 years ago.

Edited May 27, 2023 by DavidR100

[Paz]

I had a look at this last night for the first time, using a C8. I came in quite despondent thinking I had not seen it as the star I saw seemed to be in slightly the wrong place but having looked at some AAVSO charts and sky safari again this morning I realised that what I thought was a faint and nearby field star ((GAIA160927556etc  - close to the middle of M101) was actually 2023ixf itself all along! May plan had been to just look at M101 and whichever star was not in sky safari would be it, but I had misread the magnitudes of some of the field stars whilst out in the dark and that had thrown me off. I'll be giving it another go, usually once I've clocked something for the first time it's much easier to find and see thereafter.

[ED Splitter]

Pardon my ignorance but how long will this be visible for? 

[John]

2 hours ago, ED Splitter said:

Pardon my ignorance but how long will this be visible for? 

A few weeks maybe, depending on the speed it dims and how large your scope is.

It seems to have peaked at around magnitude 10.8 and the latest reports seem to put it around magnitude 11.5 ish. I'm planning on having another look this evening if the sky stays clear. Probably with my 120mm refractor.

 

[ED Splitter]

Thanks. What reference do you search in sky safari? 

[John]

 

1 hour ago, ED Splitter said:

Thanks. What reference do you search in sky safari? 

I don't use Sky Safari. I use star charts such as these to locate the host galaxy, M101 (although I already knew how to find that) and then a detailed chart to pinpoint the position of the supernova in it:

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by John

[wookie1965]

Hopefully going to try in the TAL tonight no doubt I won't get it as I cannot even get M51 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

8 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

Hopefully going to try in the TAL tonight no doubt I won't get it as I cannot even get M51 

Best of luck. The brightness is still much the same, and the SN is a lot easier to spot than the galaxy itself, so even if you cannot spot the latter, you may well bag the former

[John]

Last night I was clouded out here (apart from an early glimpse of the moon) so no SN. Tonight looks better so I'll hopefully be able to get another view 🤞