The well-known galaxy M95 (NGC 3351) in Leo, currently visible in the
evening sky, now hosts a bright supernova. Italian astronomer Paolo
Fagotti discovered the exploding star on images he took Saturday, March
17, with a 0.5-m reflector at Porziano d’Assisi, Italy. The star lies at
10h43m54s, 11°40'18" (equinox 2000), and was reported as faint at
discovery, near 19th magnitude, but rose quickly to magnitude 13.3 by
today, as reported by Gianluca Masi, who created and operates the
Virtual Telescope Project.
Gianluca
Masi, the Virtual Telescope Project
Alessandro Dimai, Luigi Fiorentino, and other observers independently
discovered the supernova in the course of the Italian Supernova Search
Project. Another independent discovery came from Jure Skvarc in
Slovenia.
Here is Gianluca’s fantastic image of the supernova, captured last night
and showing the supernova with tic marks well away from the galaxy’s
center.
Undoubtedly, many astronomers will be following the behavior and
magnitude of the exploding star, and I encourage you to get out and see
it — it’s a treat to have a bright supernova in a bright, well-observed
galaxy.