Professor Stephen Smartt CBE FRS MRIA

Abstract:

We have recently confirmed SN 1996cr as a late‐time type IIn supernova (SN) via VLT spectroscopy and isolated its explosion date to ∼1 yr using archival optical imaging. We briefly touch upon here the wealth of optical, X‐ray, and radio archival observations available for this enigmatic source. Due to its relative proximity (3.8±0.6 Mpc), SN 1996cr ranks among the brightest X‐ray and radio SNe ever detected and, as such, may offer powerful insights into the structure and composition of type IIn SNe. We also find that SN 1996cr is matched to GRB 4B 960202 at a 2–3σ confidence level, making it perhaps the third GRB to be significantly associated with a type II SN. We speculate on whether SN 1996cr could be an off‐axis or “failed” GRB.