seeing supernovas

[Ursa Major]

Hello,

I see some people on the forum have seen supernovas. They have obviously been seen in other galaxies (or the people seeing them are a few hundred years old).

Is it easy to see them? how bright are they? how often do visible ones occur?

Thank you

[lukebl]

They are generally pretty faint, as they are in other galaxies (rather than our own!). Most 13th magnitude or fainter.

The current ones can be found here: Latest Supernovae. As you see, there's always one somewhere.

[Ursa Major]

Thank you Luke,

Pretty cool website. I think i will wait for a brighter one to blow up. I dont think my scope will be able to see mag 14.

[John]

I've seen 2. The 1st (in 30 years in the hobby !) was at the SGL4 Star Party in 2009 and we used a 12" dobsonian and my 13mm Ethos eyepiece. The latest (sn2011b) was earlier this year which I managed to pick up from my back garden, 1st with my 10" newtonian and a couple of nights later with my 6" refractor. Both of these were in the region of magnitude 12.5 or a little dimmer but, once located they were quite distinct, glimmering as a tiny point of light in their home galaxies. I have to say that seeing these with my own eye were some of my best moments in the hobby

[Doc]

Those are the two I've seen as well. Thay can be hard as very rarely are the brighter then mag 13.

[Ursa Major]

If one goes off in a near by galaxy like the andromeda galaxy then i reckon that would be quite bright.

I just read on another web page that:

"There are about 30-40 billiion spiral galaxies in this universe alone much like our own galaxy, which means there are upwards of a billion of these things a year.

Alternatively, that's about 1 supernova every ~2ish seconds:eek:.

Impressive!"

Thats really weird to think.

[Talitha]

The only one i've seen so far was SN2011B in early February. Hopefully there will be another bright one soon.

[Demonperformer]

Was fortunate enough to be in S hemisphere when 1987A went off in LMC. Other than that it was just 2011b from my back garden.

Anyone betting on Betelgeuse in their lifetime? You'd see that one!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

SN2011b was my first (in 32 years of observing), and that was quite easy in my C8.