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Transiting giant exoplanets around M-dwarf stars (GEMS) are rare, owing to the low-mass host stars. However, the all-sky coverage of TESS has enabled the detection of an increasingly large number of them to enable statistical surveys like the Searching for GEMS survey. As part of this endeavor, we describe the observations of six transiting giant planets, which include precise mass measurements for two GEMS (K2-419Ab, TOI-6034b) and statistical validation for four systems, which includes validation and mass upper limits for three of them (TOI-5218b, TOI-5616b, TOI-5634Ab), while the fourth one—TOI-5414b is classified as a “likely planet.” Our observations include radial velocities from the Habitable-zone Planet Finder on the Hobby–Eberly Telescope, and MAROON-X on Gemini-North, along with photometry and high-contrast imaging from multiple ground-based facilities. In addition to TESS photometry, K2-419Ab was also observed and statistically validated as part of the K2 mission in Campaigns 5 and 18, which provide precise orbital and planetary constraints despite the faint host star and long orbital period of ∼20.4 days. With an equilibrium temperature of only 380 K, K2-419Ab is one of the coolest known well-characterized transiting planets. TOI-6034 has a late F-type companion about 40″ away, making it the first GEMS host star to have an earlier main-sequence binary companion. These confirmations add to the existing small sample of confirmed transiting GEMS.

We present optical and near-infrared (NIR) observations of SN 2022crv, a stripped-envelope supernova in NGC 3054, discovered within 12 hr of explosion by the Distance Less Than 40 Mpc Survey. We suggest that SN 2022crv is a transitional object on the continuum between Type Ib supernovae (SNe Ib) and Type IIb supernovae (SNe IIb). A high-velocity hydrogen feature (∼ −20,000 to −16,000 km s ^−1 ) was conspicuous in SN 2022crv at early phases, and then quickly disappeared. We find that a hydrogen envelope of ∼10 ^−3 M _⊙ can reproduce the observed behavior of the hydrogen feature. The lack of early envelope cooling emission implies that SN 2022crv had a compact progenitor with an extremely low amount of hydrogen. A nebular spectral analysis shows that SN 2022crv is consistent with the explosion of a He star with a final mass of ∼4.5–5.6 M _⊙ that evolved from a ∼16 to 22 M _⊙ zero-age main-sequence star in a binary system with ∼1.0–1.7 M _⊙ of oxygen finally synthesized in the core. In order to retain such a small amount of hydrogen, the initial orbital separation of the binary system is likely larger than ∼1000 R _⊙ . The NIR spectra of SN 2022crv show a unique absorption feature on the blue side of the He i line at ∼1.005 μ m. This is the first time such a feature has been observed in SNe Ib/IIb, and it could be due to Sr II. Further detailed modeling of SN 2022crv can shed light on the progenitor and the origin of the mysterious absorption feature in the NIR.

We present an analysis of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the Carnegie Supernova Project I and II and extend the Hubble diagram from optical to near-infrared wavelengths ( uBgVriYJH ). We calculate the Hubble constant, H _0 , using various distance calibrators: Cepheids, the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB), and surface brightness fluctuations (SBFs). Combining all methods of calibration, we derive H _0 = 71.76 ± 0.58 (stat) ± 1.19 (sys) km s ^−1 Mpc ^−1 from the B band and H _0 = 73.22 ± 0.68 (stat) ± 1.28 (sys) km s ^−1 Mpc ^−1 from the H band. By assigning equal weight to the Cepheid, TRGB, and SBF calibrators, we derive the systematic errors required for consistency in the first rung of the distance ladder, resulting in a systematic error of 1.2 ∼ 1.3 km s ^−1 Mpc ^−1 in H _0 . As a result, relative to the statistics-only uncertainty, the tension between the late-time H _0 we derive by combining the various distance calibrators and the early-time H _0 from the cosmic microwave background is reduced. The highest precision in SN Ia luminosity is found in the Y band (0.12 ± 0.01 mag), as defined by the intrinsic scatter ( σ _int ). We revisit SN Ia Hubble residual-host mass correlations and recover previous results that these correlations do not change significantly between the optical and near-infrared wavelengths. Finally, SNe Ia that explode beyond 10 kpc from their host centers exhibit smaller dispersion in their luminosity, confirming our earlier findings. A reduced effect of dust in the outskirts of hosts may be responsible for this effect.

Understanding the nature of the luminous 1991T-like supernovae (SNe) is of great importance to SN cosmology as they are likely to have been more common in the early Universe. In this paper, we explore the observational properties of 1991T-like SNe to study their relationship to other luminous, slow-declining Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). From the spectroscopic and photometric criteria defined in Phillips et al., we identify 17 1991T-like SNe from the literature. Combining these objects with 10 1991T-like SNe from the Carnegie Supernova Project-II, the spectra, light curves, and colors of these events, along with their host galaxy properties, are examined in detail. We conclude that 1991T-like SNe are closely related in essentially all of their UV, optical, and near-infrared properties—as well as their host galaxy parameters—to the slow-declining subset of Branch core-normal SNe and to the intermediate 1999aa-like events, forming a continuum of luminous SNe Ia. The overriding difference between these three subgroups appears to be the extent to which ^56 Ni mixes into the ejecta, producing the premaximum spectra dominated by Fe iii absorption, the broader UV light curves, and the higher luminosities that characterize the 1991T-like events. Nevertheless, the association of 1991T-like SNe with the rare Type Ia circumstellar material SNe would seem to run counter to this hypothesis, in which case 1991T-like events may form a separate subclass of SNe Ia, possibly arising from single-degenerate progenitor systems.

On 2022 September 26, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft impacted Dimorphos, the satellite of binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos. This demonstrated the efficacy of a kinetic impactor for planetary defense by changing the orbital period of Dimorphos by 33 minutes. Measuring the period change relied heavily on a coordinated campaign of lightcurve photometry designed to detect mutual events (occultations and eclipses) as a direct probe of the satellite’s orbital period. A total of 28 telescopes contributed 224 individual lightcurves during the impact apparition from 2022 July to 2023 February. We focus here on decomposable lightcurves, i.e., those from which mutual events could be extracted. We describe our process of lightcurve decomposition and use that to release the full data set for future analysis. We leverage these data to place constraints on the postimpact evolution of ejecta. The measured depths of mutual events relative to models showed that the ejecta became optically thin within the first ∼1 day after impact and then faded with a decay time of about 25 days. The bulk magnitude of the system showed that ejecta no longer contributed measurable brightness enhancement after about 20 days postimpact. This bulk photometric behavior was not well represented by an HG photometric model. An HG _1 G _2 model did fit the data well across a wide range of phase angles. Lastly, we note the presence of an ejecta tail through at least 2023 March. Its persistence implied ongoing escape of ejecta from the system many months after DART impact.

We present JWST near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic observations of the nearby normal Type Ia supernova (SN) SN 2021aefx in the nebular phase at +255 days past maximum light. Our Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) and Mid Infrared Instrument observations, combined with ground-based optical data from the South African Large Telescope, constitute the first complete optical+NIR+MIR nebular SN Ia spectrum covering 0.3–14 μ m. This spectrum unveils the previously unobserved 2.5−5 μ m region, revealing strong nebular iron and stable nickel emission, indicative of high-density burning that can constrain the progenitor mass. The data show a significant improvement in sensitivity and resolution compared to previous Spitzer MIR data. We identify numerous NIR and MIR nebular emission lines from iron-group elements as well as lines from the intermediate-mass element argon. The argon lines extend to higher velocities than the iron-group elements, suggesting stratified ejecta that are a hallmark of delayed-detonation or double-detonation SN Ia models. We present fits to simple geometric line profiles to features beyond 1.2 μ m and find that most lines are consistent with Gaussian or spherical emission distributions, while the [Ar iii ] 8.99 μ m line has a distinctively flat-topped profile indicating a thick spherical shell of emission. Using our line profile fits, we investigate the emissivity structure of SN 2021aefx and measure kinematic properties. Continued observations of SN 2021aefx and other SNe Ia with JWST will be transformative to the study of SN Ia composition, ionization structure, density, and temperature, and will provide important constraints on SN Ia progenitor and explosion models.

We present new 0.3–21 μ m photometry of SN 2021aefx in the spiral galaxy NGC 1566 at +357 days after B -band maximum, including the first detection of any Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) at >15 μ m. These observations follow earlier JWST observations of SN 2021aefx at +255 days after the time of maximum brightness, allowing us to probe the temporal evolution of the emission properties. We measure the fraction of flux emerging at different wavelengths and its temporal evolution. Additionally, the integrated 0.3–14 μ m decay rate of Δ m _0.3–14 = 1.35 ± 0.05 mag/100 days is higher than the decline rate from the radioactive decay of ^56 Co of ∼1.2 mag/100 days. The most plausible explanation for this discrepancy is that flux is shifting to >14 μ m, and future JWST observations of SNe Ia will be able to directly test this hypothesis. However, models predicting nonradiative energy loss cannot be excluded with the present data.

Nebular-phase observations of peculiar Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) provide important constraints on progenitor scenarios and explosion dynamics for both these rare SNe and the more common, cosmologically useful SNe Ia. We present observations from an extensive ground- and space-based follow-up campaign to characterize SN 2022pul, a super-Chandrasekhar mass SN Ia (alternatively “03fg-like” SN), from before peak brightness to well into the nebular phase across optical to mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths. The early rise of the light curve is atypical, exhibiting two distinct components, consistent with SN Ia ejecta interacting with dense carbon–oxygen (C/O)-rich circumstellar material (CSM). In the optical, SN 2022pul is most similar to SN 2012dn, having a low estimated peak luminosity ( M _B = −18.9 mag) and high photospheric velocity relative to other 03fg-like SNe. In the nebular phase, SN 2022pul adds to the increasing diversity of the 03fg-like subclass. From 168 to 336 days after peak B -band brightness, SN 2022pul exhibits asymmetric and narrow emission from [O i ] λ λ 6300, 6364 (FWHM ≈ 2000 km s ^−1 ), strong, broad emission from [Ca ii ] λ λ 7291, 7323 (FWHM ≈ 7300 km s ^−1 ), and a rapid Fe iii to Fe ii ionization change. Finally, we present the first ever optical-to-MIR nebular spectrum of an 03fg-like SN Ia using data from JWST. In the MIR, strong lines of neon and argon, weak emission from stable nickel, and strong thermal dust emission (with T ≈ 500 K), combined with prominent [O i ] in the optical, suggest that SN 2022pul was produced by a white dwarf merger within C/O-rich CSM.

We present optical, infrared, ultraviolet, and radio observations of SN 2022xkq, an underluminous fast-declining Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in NGC 1784 ( D ≈ 31 Mpc), from

We present a spectroscopic analysis of 44 low-luminosity host galaxies of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) detected by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN), using hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur emission lines to measure metallicities and star formation rates. We find no statistically significant evidence that the star formation activity and metallicities of the galaxies in our sample are inconsistent with galaxies of similar luminosities and masses. We identify two 3 σ outlier galaxies that have high metallicities for their stellar masses, but find that their other properties are consistent with general galaxies. The overall consistency between our sample and general galaxy samples further strengthens the evidence from more luminous SN Ia host galaxy samples that SN Ia host galaxies are typical.

We present the largest and most homogeneous collection of near-infrared (NIR) spectra of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia): 339 spectra of 98 individual SNe obtained as part of the Carnegie Supernova Project-II. These spectra, obtained with the FIRE spectrograph on the 6.5 m Magellan Baade telescope, have a spectral range of 0.8–2.5 μ m. Using this sample, we explore the NIR spectral diversity of SNe Ia and construct a template of spectral time series as a function of the light-curve-shape parameter, color stretch s _BV . Principal component analysis is applied to characterize the diversity of the spectral features and reduce data dimensionality to a smaller subspace. Gaussian process regression is then used to model the subspace dependence on phase and light-curve shape and the associated uncertainty. Our template is able to predict spectral variations that are correlated with s _BV , such as the hallmark NIR features: Mg ii at early times and the H -band break after peak. Using this template reduces the systematic uncertainties in K -corrections by ∼90% compared to those from the Hsiao template. These uncertainties, defined as the mean K -correction differences computed with the color-matched template and observed spectra, are on the level of 4 × 10 ^−4 mag on average. This template can serve as the baseline spectral energy distribution for light-curve fitters and can identify peculiar spectral features that might point to compelling physics. The results presented here will substantially improve future SN Ia cosmological experiments, for both nearby and distant samples.

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, ${B}_{\max }\mbox{--}{V}_{\max }$ 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.

We present the final results of an imaging and spectroscopic search for stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) with C ii λλ 7231, 7236 emission lines. The goal is to identify and study [WC11] stars, the coolest of the low-mass Wolf–Rayet sequence, and a subset of central stars of planetary nebulae where the C ii lines are known to be especially prominent. A recent serendipitous discovery of an LMC [WC11] raised the possibility that these objects, although difficult to identify, might in fact be more common than previously believed. Several new members of this rare class have been found in this survey. It now seems clear, however, that a significant number of these stars are not hiding among the general [WC] population. We point out that the C ii doublet intensity ratio observed in our spectra proves to neatly divide the objects into two distinct groups, with the C ii emission likely originating from either the stellar wind or a surrounding nebula. The physics of the C ii emission mechanism correctly explains this bifurcation. Spectral subtypes are suggested for most of the objects. The numerous spectroscopic clues now available for these objects should facilitate future detailed modeling.

The identification of bright quasars at z ≳ 6 enables detailed studies of supermassive black holes, massive galaxies, structure formation, and the state of the intergalactic medium within the first billion years after the Big Bang. We present the spectroscopic confirmation of 55 quasars at redshifts 5.6 < z < 6.5 and UV magnitudes −24.5 < M _1450 < −28.5 identified in the optical Pan-STARRS1 and near-IR VIKING surveys (48 and 7, respectively). Five of these quasars have independently been discovered in other studies. The quasar sample shows an extensive range of physical properties, including 17 objects with weak emission lines, 10 broad absorption line quasars, and 5 objects with strong radio emission (radio-loud quasars). There are also a few notable sources in the sample, including a blazar candidate at z = 6.23, a likely gravitationally lensed quasar at z = 6.41, and a z = 5.84 quasar in the outskirts of the nearby ( D ∼ 3 Mpc) spiral galaxy M81. The blazar candidate remains undetected in NOEMA observations of the [C ii] and underlying emission, implying a star formation rate