SN 2011dh was a supernova in the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). It was discovered on 31 May 2011, with an apparent magnitude 13.5.[4] and confirmed by several sources, including the Palomar Transient Factory.[5] A candidate progenitor was detected in Hubble Space Telescope images.[9] The progenitor may have been a highly luminous yellow supergiant with an initial mass of 18-24 solar masses.[6] The supernova peaked near apparent magnitude 12.1 on 19 June 2011.[8] Emission spectra indicated that the explosion was a type II supernova, in which a massive star collapses once nuclear fusion has ceased in its core.[4]
SN2011dh was the third supernova to be recorded in the Whirlpool galaxy since 1994 (following SN 1994I and SN 2005cs).[10] The supernova frequency in the Milky Way is estimated to be around one event every 40 years.[11]
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^"ATEL 3413: PTF11eon/SN2011dh is Possibly a Type IIb Event". Astronomers Telegram. 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2011-06-08.
^"Early Optical Spectroscopy of SN 2011dh in M51". Astronomers Telegram. 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
^Kelly Beatty (June 3, 2011). "Supernova Erupts in Whirlpool Galaxy". Sky and Telescope. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
^ abcdRichard Kinne (kqr) (2011-06-03). "AAVSO Special Notice #241: New Supernova in M51". AAVSO. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
^ abc"ATEL 3398: PTF Discovery of a Type II Supernova in M51". Astronomers Telegram. 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
^ ab"ATEL 3401: Properties of the Candidate Progenitor of SN 2011dh in M51". Astronomers Telegram. 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
SN2011dh was a supernova in the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). It was discovered on 31 May 2011, with an apparent magnitude 13.5. and confirmed by several sources...
Whirlpool Galaxy, peaking at magnitude 12.1. This supernova, designated SN2011dh, showed a spectrum much bluer than average, with P Cygni profiles, which...
(April 2012). "Improved distance determination to M 51 from supernovae 2011dh and 2005cs". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 540: 7. arXiv:1111.0596. Bibcode:2012A&A...
S. (2011). "The Yellow Supergiant Progenitor of the Type II Supernova 2011dh in M51". The Astrophysical Journal. 739 (2): L37. arXiv:1106.2565. Bibcode:2011ApJ...