September 12, 2020

LSQ14fmg (Image courtesy Hsiao et al)

An article published in “The Astrophysical Journal” reports a study on the Type Ia supernova cataloged as LSQ14fmg, which became bright with considerable slowness but at some point became one of the brightest in its class. A team of researchers led by Eric Hsiao of Florida State University used observations conducted with telescopes in Chile and Spain to study its evolution. The conclusion is that the supernova was exploding inside what was an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star and was caused by the merger of its core with a white dwarf orbiting inside it.