2014 May 22
SN 2014bc in M106
A new supernova has been discovered near the core of M106 at RA 12:18:58 Dec. +47:18:11 placing it almost in the very centre of this barred spiral galaxy. It was discovered on 2014 May 19 by Pan-STARRS1 at about mag 15.
M106 is well placed in Canes Venatici in the evening sky at the moment and observations are encouraged. The chart to the right shows the UK sky at 10.30pm, with M106 (marked by the square box) high above Saturn, Mars and Arcturus.
As of 2014 May 21, the supernova is at around mag 13.5, as reported by Gianluca Masi, Francesca Nocentini and Patrick Schmeer, on CBAT http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unconf/followups/J12185771+471811%20.html
An Astronomers Telegram (ATel #6159) reports further pre-discovery observations by the KAIT team when the object was first detected on images on April 9. The object then rose steadily in brightness, with an increase of about two magnitudes in the first two weeks. The brightness thereafter is roughly constant at 15 mag.
The Telegram then adds that owing to the high background and the very small projected distance from the host nucleus, it is difficult to make a precise measurement of the magnitude, but the light curve is consistent with that of a Type II-P supernova.
Please report any magnitude estimates you are able to make to both Guy Hurst (guy@tahq.demon.co.uk) and the VSS (http://www.britastro.org/vss/data_submission.htm). The supernova is designated SN 2014bc.
The image below was taken by Nick James from Chelmsford, UK, on 2014 May 22 at 22:17 UTC. The supernova is hard to see, though, as it blends in with the nucleus of the galaxy.
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