DECam image of supernova SN 2026gzf host galaxy pre-explosion (9 March 2016) (IMAGE)

Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)

DECam image of supernova SN 2026gzf host galaxy pre-explosion (9 March 2016)

Caption

This image shows the host galaxy of the recently detected supernova SN 2026gzf. This supernova was first detected by the Einstein Probe on 21 March 2026. This archival image of the host galaxy from 9 March 2016 reveals a bright blue source at the location of the supernova. Scientists say this blue source likely represents pre-explosion activity of the progenitor star before its death.

This image was captured with the 570-megapixel DOE-fabricated Dark Energy Camera (DECam), mounted on the NSF Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile, a Program of NSF NOIRLab.

View a series of close-up images that show the evolving supernova here.

Credit

CTIO/NOIRLab/DOE/NSF/AURA Image Processing: D. de Martin & M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)

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