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We use a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model (MCRTM) to simulate the UBVRI light curves, images, and linear polarization of a light echo from supernova SN 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using various dust cloud shapes, sizes, and optical properties. We compare the theoretical simulations to the observations of AT 2019xis, a light echo detected at a large angular distance (4.′05) from SN 1987A. We estimate the size and optical thickness of the dust cloud based on the simulation results and the observations of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE-IV) Transient Detection System (OTDS) I -band light curve. The mass of the dust cloud is calculated using the estimated size, optical thickness, and extinction coefficient. If the dust cloud is assumed to correspond to a gas-to-dust ratio of 300, the total mass of the dust cloud is approximately 7.8â€"9.3 M ⊙. Based on these theoretical models, we show that the morphological shapes of the light echoes in the wavelength range of or shorter than the U band to be very different from those in the longer wavelength bands, and the difference carries important information on the early UV radiation of SN 1987A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SN 2018aoz is a Type Ia SN with a B -band plateau and excess emission in infant-phase light curves ≲1 day after the first light, evidencing an over-density of surface iron-peak elements as shown in our previous study. Here, we advance the constraints on the nature and origin of SN 2018aoz based on its evolution until the nebular phase. Near-peak spectroscopic features show that the SN is intermediate between two subtypes of normal Type Ia: core normal and broad line. The excess emission may be attributable to the radioactive decay of surface iron-peak elements as well as the interaction of ejecta with either the binary companion or a small torus of circumstellar material. Nebular-phase limits on H α and He i favor a white dwarf companion, consistent with the small companion size constrained by the low early SN luminosity, while the absence of [O i ] and He i disfavors a violent merger of the progenitor. Of the two main explosion mechanisms proposed to explain the distribution of surface iron-peak elements in SN 2018aoz, the asymmetric Chandrasekhar-mass explosion is less consistent with the progenitor constraints and the observed blueshifts of nebular-phase [Fe ii ] and [Ni ii ]. The helium-shell double-detonation explosion is compatible with the observed lack of C spectral features, but current 1D models are incompatible with the infant-phase excess emission, B max – V max color, and weak strength of nebular-phase [Ca ii ]. Although the explosion processes of SN 2018aoz still need to be more precisely understood, the same processes could produce a significant fraction of Type Ia SNe that appear to be normal after ∼1 day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present multiband photometry and spectroscopy of SN 2018cuf, a Type IIP ("P" for plateau) supernova (SN) discovered by the Distance Less Than 40 Mpc Survey within 24 hr of explosion. SN 2018cuf appears to be a typical SN IIP, with an absolute V-band magnitude of −16.73 ± 0.32 at maximum and a decline rate of 0.21 ± 0.05 mag/50 days during the plateau phase. The distance of the object was constrained to be 41.8 ± 5.7 Mpc by using the expanding photosphere method. We used spectroscopic and photometric observations from the first year after the explosion to constrain the progenitor of SN 2018cuf using both hydrodynamic light-curve modeling and late-time spectroscopic modeling. The progenitor of SN 2018cuf was most likely a red supergiant of about 14.5 M⊙ that produced 0.04 ± 0.01 M⊙56Ni during the explosion. We also found ∼0.07 M⊙ of circumstellar material (CSM) around the progenitor is needed to fit the early light curves, where the CSM may originate from presupernova outbursts. During the plateau phase, high-velocity features at ∼11,000 km s−1 were detected in both the optical and near-infrared spectra, supporting the possibility that the ejecta were interacting with some CSM. A very shallow slope during the postplateau phase was also observed, and it is likely due to a low degree of nickel mixing or the relatively high nickel mass in the SN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present panchromatic observations and modeling of the Calcium-rich supernova (SN) 2019ehk in the star-forming galaxy M100 (d ≈ 16.2 Mpc) starting 10 hr after explosion and continuing for ∼300 days. SN 2019ehk shows a double-peaked optical light curve peaking at t = 3 and 15 days. The first peak is coincident with luminous, rapidly decaying Swift-XRT–discovered X-ray emission (at 3 days; Lx ∝ t−3), and a Shane/Kast spectral detection of narrow Hα and He ii emission lines (v ≈ 500) originating from pre-existent circumstellar material (CSM). We attribute this phenomenology to radiation from shock interaction with extended, dense material surrounding the progenitor star at r < 1015 cm and the resulting cooling emission. We calculate a total CSM mass of ∼7 × 10−3 (MHe/MH ≈6) with particle density n ≈ 109 cm−3. Radio observations indicate a significantly lower density n < 104 cm−3 at larger radii r > (0.1–1) × 1017 cm. The photometric and spectroscopic properties during the second light-curve peak are consistent with those of Ca-rich transients (rise-time of tr = 13.4 ± 0.210 days and a peak B-band magnitude of MB = −15.1 ± 0.200 mag). We find that SN 2019ehk synthesized (3.1 ± 0.11) × 10−2 of and ejected Mej = (0.72 ± 0.040) total with a kinetic energy Ek = (1.8 ± 0.10) × 1050 erg. Finally, deep HST pre-explosion imaging at the SN site constrains the parameter space of viable stellar progenitors to massive stars in the lowest mass bin (∼10) in binaries that lost most of their He envelope or white dwarfs (WDs). The explosion and environment properties of SN 2019ehk further restrict the potential WD progenitor systems to low-mass hybrid HeCO WD+CO WD binaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN 2013aa and SN 2017cbv, two nearly identical type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) in the host galaxy NGC 5643. The optical photometry has been obtained using the same telescope and instruments used by the Carnegie Supernova Project. This eliminates most instrumental systematics and provides light curves in a stable and well-understood photometric system. Having the same host galaxy also eliminates systematics due to distance and peculiar velocity, providing an opportunity to directly test the relative precision of SNe Ia as standard candles. The two SNe have nearly identical decline rates, negligible reddenings, and remarkably similar spectra, and, at a distance of ∼20 Mpc, they are ideal potential calibrators for the absolute distance using primary indicators such as Cepheid variables. We discuss to what extent these two SNe can be considered twins and compare them with other supernova "siblings" in the literature and their likely progenitor scenarios. Using 12 galaxies that hosted two or more SNe Ia, we find that when using SNe Ia, and after accounting for all sources of observational error, one gets consistency in distance to 3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swift UV-Optical Telescope (UVOT) has been observing core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) of all subtypes in the UV and optical since 2005. Here we present 50 CCSNe observed with the Swift UVOT, analyzing their UV properties and behavior. Where we have multiple UV detections in all three UV filters (λc = 1928-2600 Å), we generate early time bolometric light curves, analyze the properties of these light curves and the UV contribution to them, and derive empirical corrections for the UV-flux contribution to optical-IR based bolometric light curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]