High-magnification deep optical view into N120's host environment. Pan and scroll to explore the cosmic neighborhood where this star exploded.
⚡ Quick Observer Facts & Telemetry
IAU Transients DBAn Unclassified Astronomical Transient
On —, astronomers scanning the heavens flagged a sudden, violent pinpoint of light that had flared into visibility. Designated N120, it is an unclassified astronomical transient whose physical nature is not yet established.
N120 was reported as a changing source associated with LMC, but it has not been spectroscopically classified. Without a spectrum, the progenitor cannot be identified: a thermonuclear white-dwarf detonation and a core-collapse of a massive star are mutually exclusive histories that produce different spectra and light curves. No progenitor, explosion mechanism, or remnant outcome is established for this object.
A Message Across Deep Cosmic Time
N120 has a luminosity distance of approximately 163,110 Light-Years
(redshift z = 1.13e-05).
Lookback time is unavailable without a usable redshift; do not equate luminosity distance with travel time.
Luminosity distance incorporates cosmic expansion and exceeds the light-travel distance. The two quantities must be reported separately.
Brightness Record
No calibrated peak magnitude is published for N120, so neither its apparent brightness nor an equivalent solar luminosity can be stated.
The total energy release is unknown without a spectroscopic classification.
The Radioactive Furnace: Why Supernovae Glow for Months
Without a classification, the power source of N120 cannot be identified; radioactive ⁵⁶Ni decay powers many supernovae but is not established for this transient.
Nickel-56 decays to Cobalt-56 (half-life ≈6.1 days), then to stable Iron-56 (half-life ≈77.2 days), heating the ejecta from within. Typical class yields must not be quoted as measured values for this event.
Cosmic Kiln: Seeding the Elements of Life
Supernovae enrich galaxies with heavy elements. Events of N120's class are associated with oxygen-group and intermediate-mass products (O, C, Ne, Mg, Si) in galactic chemical-evolution models. No measured elemental yields are published for N120.
As Carl Sagan observed, "We are made of star-stuff" — a statement about nucleosynthesis in general, not a claim that atoms from this specific remnant are identified in the Solar System.
Galactic Setting in Mensa
N120 is associated with cataloged host LMC
.
In our terrestrial sky, it resides in the constellation Mensa (The Table Mountain) at Right Ascension 05:18:41
and Declination -69:39:12.
The Scientific Surveillance Campaign
Following its discovery by an automated sky survey, observatories worldwide swung their lenses toward N120. In the Open Supernova Catalog, N120 is documented across 0 photometric measurements and 0 spectroscopic epochs. These multi-wavelength observations allow astrophysicists to model the expanding photosphere, measure shock velocities, and probe circumstellar interactions.
Stargazer's Field Guide: Can You See It Tonight?
Can I see it tonight? Unknown — no measured brightness.
Discovered unknown epoch (unknown discovery date). No reliable current brightness estimate — no photometry has been published.
Planetary Safety Note: Even though N120 was a titanic explosion, our planet sits safely outside the lethal 50–100 light-year kill zone. At a distance of 163,110 Light-Years, the blast poses zero physical hazard to Earth's biosphere.
Cataloged transients closest to N120 in discovery time, spatial sky neighborhood, and cosmological redshift:
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About N120
What type of supernova is N120 and what kind of star exploded? Astrophysics & Progenitor
What was the progenitor star doing in the millions of years leading up to N120? Astrophysics & Progenitor
How far away is N120 from Earth and how old is the light reaching us? Cosmic Distance & Time
What does the cosmological redshift of N120 tell us about the expansion of space? Cosmic Distance & Time
How bright did N120 become at its peak, and how many Suns does that equal? Explosion Energetics
How much total energy was released by N120, and where did that energy go? Explosion Energetics
How fast are the supernova ejecta and shockwave of N120 expanding through space? Explosion Energetics
What powers the prolonged glow of N120 weeks and months after detonation? Radioactive Engine
What chemical elements did N120 create and disperse into the universe? Nucleosynthesis & Elements
Did N120 leave behind a black hole, a neutron star, or nothing at all? Cosmic Remnant
What will N120's explosion site look like in 1,000 to 10,000 years? Cosmic Remnant
In which galaxy did N120 explode, and where is it located relative to the galactic center? Galactic Environment
Where is N120 located in the night sky and which constellation is it in? Sky Coordinates
How much Milky Way interstellar dust obscures our view of N120? Interstellar Dust
Across which photometric filter bands was N120 monitored? Astronomical Observations
What did astronomical spectroscopy reveal about N120's chemical makeup? Astronomical Observations
Who discovered N120 and how was it first detected? Discovery & History
How many scientific publications and observatories have contributed data to N120? Scientific Research
What other names and survey identifiers exist for N120? Cross-Identifications
LMCSNR J051841-693912, MCSNR J0518-6939. These cross-matched identifiers allow astronomers to cross-reference observations across the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), Pan-STARRS, Gaia Photometric Science Alerts, and the IAU Transient Name Server (TNS).