The Emergence of the Infrared transient VVV-WIT-06

Dante Minniti; Roberto K. Saito; F. Forster; G. Pignata; Valentin D. Ivanov; Philip Lucas; J.C. Beamin; Jura Borissova; Marcio Catelan; Oscar A. Gonzalez; Maren Hempel; E Hsiao; Radostin Kurtev; Daniel Majaess; N. Masetti; N.I. Morrell; M.M. Phillips; J. B. Pullen; M. Rejkuba; L.C. Smith; F. Surot; Elena Valenti; Manuela Zoccali

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aa9374

The Emergence of the Infrared transient VVV-WIT-06

Dante Minniti, Roberto K. Saito, F. Forster, G. Pignata, Valentin D. Ivanov, Philip Lucas, J.C. Beamin, Jura Borissova, Marcio Catelan, Oscar A. Gonzalez, Maren Hempel, E Hsiao, Radostin Kurtev, Daniel Majaess, N. Masetti, N.I. Morrell, M.M. Phillips, J. B. Pullen, M. Rejkuba, L.C. SmithF. Surot, Elena Valenti, Manuela Zoccali

Centre for Astrophysics Research (CAR)

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Abstract

We report the discovery of an enigmatic large-amplitude (ΔKs> 10.5 mag) transient event in near-IR data obtained by the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey. The object (designated VVV-WIT-06) is located at R.A. = 17:07:18.917, decl. = -39:06:26.45 (J2000), corresponding to Galactic coordinates l = 347.14539, b = 0.88522. It exhibits a clear eruption, peaking at Ks = 9 mag during 2013 July and fading to Ks ~ 16.5 in 2017. Our late near-IR spectra show post-outburst emission lines, including some broad emission lines (upward of {FWHM} ~ 3000 k/s). We estimate a total extinction of A_V=10--15 mag in the surrounding field, and no progenitor was observed in ZYJHKs images obtained during 2010-2012 (down to Ks> 18.5 mag). Subsequent deep near-IR imaging and spectroscopy, in concert with the available multiband photometry, indicate that VVV-WIT-06 may be either: (I) the closest Type I SN observed in about 400 years, (II) an exotic high-amplitude nova that would extend the known realm of such objects, or (III) a stellar merger. In all of these cases, VVV-WIT-06 is a fascinating and curious astrophysical target under any of the scenarios considered.

Original language	English
Article number	L23
Number of pages	6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	849
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9374
Publication status	Published - 3 Nov 2017

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Minniti, D., Saito, R. K., Forster, F., Pignata, G., Ivanov, V. D., Lucas, P., Beamin, J. C., Borissova, J., Catelan, M., Gonzalez, O. A., Hempel, M., Hsiao, E., Kurtev, R., Majaess, D., Masetti, N., Morrell, N. I., Phillips, M. M., Pullen, J. B., Rejkuba, M., ... Zoccali, M. (2017). The Emergence of the Infrared transient VVV-WIT-06. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 849(2), Article L23. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9374

@article{a77ec5935a8c42c4af9cbe088d4ff52b,

title = "The Emergence of the Infrared transient VVV-WIT-06",

abstract = "We report the discovery of an enigmatic large-amplitude (ΔKs> 10.5 mag) transient event in near-IR data obtained by the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey. The object (designated VVV-WIT-06) is located at R.A. = 17:07:18.917, decl. = -39:06:26.45 (J2000), corresponding to Galactic coordinates l = 347.14539, b = 0.88522. It exhibits a clear eruption, peaking at Ks = 9 mag during 2013 July and fading to Ks ~ 16.5 in 2017. Our late near-IR spectra show post-outburst emission lines, including some broad emission lines (upward of {FWHM} ~ 3000 k/s). We estimate a total extinction of A_V=10--15 mag in the surrounding field, and no progenitor was observed in ZYJHKs images obtained during 2010-2012 (down to Ks> 18.5 mag). Subsequent deep near-IR imaging and spectroscopy, in concert with the available multiband photometry, indicate that VVV-WIT-06 may be either: (I) the closest Type I SN observed in about 400 years, (II) an exotic high-amplitude nova that would extend the known realm of such objects, or (III) a stellar merger. In all of these cases, VVV-WIT-06 is a fascinating and curious astrophysical target under any of the scenarios considered.",

author = "Dante Minniti and Saito, {Roberto K.} and F. Forster and G. Pignata and Ivanov, {Valentin D.} and Philip Lucas and J.C. Beamin and Jura Borissova and Marcio Catelan and Gonzalez, {Oscar A.} and Maren Hempel and E Hsiao and Radostin Kurtev and Daniel Majaess and N. Masetti and N.I. Morrell and M.M. Phillips and Pullen, {J. B.} and M. Rejkuba and L.C. Smith and F. Surot and Elena Valenti and Manuela Zoccali",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

day = "3",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/aa9374",

language = "English",

volume = "849",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

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Minniti, D, Saito, RK, Forster, F, Pignata, G, Ivanov, VD, Lucas, P, Beamin, JC, Borissova, J, Catelan, M, Gonzalez, OA, Hempel, M, Hsiao, E, Kurtev, R, Majaess, D, Masetti, N, Morrell, NI, Phillips, MM, Pullen, JB, Rejkuba, M, Smith, LC, Surot, F, Valenti, E & Zoccali, M 2017, 'The Emergence of the Infrared transient VVV-WIT-06', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 849, no. 2, L23. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa9374

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Emergence of the Infrared transient VVV-WIT-06

AU - Minniti, Dante

AU - Saito, Roberto K.

AU - Forster, F.

AU - Pignata, G.

AU - Ivanov, Valentin D.

AU - Lucas, Philip

AU - Beamin, J.C.

AU - Borissova, Jura

AU - Catelan, Marcio

AU - Gonzalez, Oscar A.

AU - Hempel, Maren

AU - Hsiao, E

AU - Kurtev, Radostin

AU - Majaess, Daniel

AU - Masetti, N.

AU - Morrell, N.I.

AU - Phillips, M.M.

AU - Pullen, J. B.

AU - Rejkuba, M.

AU - Smith, L.C.

AU - Surot, F.

AU - Valenti, Elena

AU - Zoccali, Manuela

PY - 2017/11/3

Y1 - 2017/11/3

N2 - We report the discovery of an enigmatic large-amplitude (ΔKs> 10.5 mag) transient event in near-IR data obtained by the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey. The object (designated VVV-WIT-06) is located at R.A. = 17:07:18.917, decl. = -39:06:26.45 (J2000), corresponding to Galactic coordinates l = 347.14539, b = 0.88522. It exhibits a clear eruption, peaking at Ks = 9 mag during 2013 July and fading to Ks ~ 16.5 in 2017. Our late near-IR spectra show post-outburst emission lines, including some broad emission lines (upward of {FWHM} ~ 3000 k/s). We estimate a total extinction of A_V=10--15 mag in the surrounding field, and no progenitor was observed in ZYJHKs images obtained during 2010-2012 (down to Ks> 18.5 mag). Subsequent deep near-IR imaging and spectroscopy, in concert with the available multiband photometry, indicate that VVV-WIT-06 may be either: (I) the closest Type I SN observed in about 400 years, (II) an exotic high-amplitude nova that would extend the known realm of such objects, or (III) a stellar merger. In all of these cases, VVV-WIT-06 is a fascinating and curious astrophysical target under any of the scenarios considered.

AB - We report the discovery of an enigmatic large-amplitude (ΔKs> 10.5 mag) transient event in near-IR data obtained by the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey. The object (designated VVV-WIT-06) is located at R.A. = 17:07:18.917, decl. = -39:06:26.45 (J2000), corresponding to Galactic coordinates l = 347.14539, b = 0.88522. It exhibits a clear eruption, peaking at Ks = 9 mag during 2013 July and fading to Ks ~ 16.5 in 2017. Our late near-IR spectra show post-outburst emission lines, including some broad emission lines (upward of {FWHM} ~ 3000 k/s). We estimate a total extinction of A_V=10--15 mag in the surrounding field, and no progenitor was observed in ZYJHKs images obtained during 2010-2012 (down to Ks> 18.5 mag). Subsequent deep near-IR imaging and spectroscopy, in concert with the available multiband photometry, indicate that VVV-WIT-06 may be either: (I) the closest Type I SN observed in about 400 years, (II) an exotic high-amplitude nova that would extend the known realm of such objects, or (III) a stellar merger. In all of these cases, VVV-WIT-06 is a fascinating and curious astrophysical target under any of the scenarios considered.

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa9374

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa9374

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 849

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L23

ER -

The Emergence of the Infrared transient VVV-WIT-06

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