High-magnification deep optical view into SNhunt274'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 2015/01/28, astronomers scanning the heavens flagged a sudden, violent pinpoint of light that had flared into visibility. Designated SNhunt274, it is an unclassified astronomical transient whose physical nature is not yet established.
SNhunt274 was reported as a changing source associated with UGC 738, 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
SNhunt274 has a luminosity distance of approximately Millions of Light-Years . 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
At the height of the outburst around 2015/01/28, SNhunt274 surged to a peak apparent magnitude of 17.
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 SNhunt274 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 SNhunt274'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 SNhunt274.
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 Andromeda
SNhunt274 is associated with cataloged host UGC 738
.
In our terrestrial sky, it resides in the constellation Andromeda (The Chained Maiden) at Right Ascension 01:11:05.4
and Declination +33:50:13.
The Scientific Surveillance Campaign
Following its discovery by Howerton, observatories worldwide swung their lenses toward SNhunt274. In the sne.space, SNhunt274 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 11.8 years ago (2015/01/28). No reliable current brightness estimate — no photometry has been published.
Planetary Safety Note: Even though SNhunt274 was a titanic explosion, our planet sits safely outside the lethal 50–100 light-year kill zone. At a distance of Millions of Light-Years, the blast poses zero physical hazard to Earth's biosphere.
Cataloged transients closest to SNhunt274 in discovery time, spatial sky neighborhood, and cosmological redshift:
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About SNhunt274
What type of supernova is SNhunt274 and what kind of star exploded? Astrophysics & Progenitor
What was the progenitor star doing in the millions of years leading up to SNhunt274? Astrophysics & Progenitor
How far away is SNhunt274 from Earth and how old is the light reaching us? Cosmic Distance & Time
What does the cosmological redshift of SNhunt274 tell us about the expansion of space? Cosmic Distance & Time
How bright did SNhunt274 become at its peak, and how many Suns does that equal? Explosion Energetics
How much total energy was released by SNhunt274, and where did that energy go? Explosion Energetics
How fast are the supernova ejecta and shockwave of SNhunt274 expanding through space? Explosion Energetics
What powers the prolonged glow of SNhunt274 weeks and months after detonation? Radioactive Engine
What chemical elements did SNhunt274 create and disperse into the universe? Nucleosynthesis & Elements
Did SNhunt274 leave behind a black hole, a neutron star, or nothing at all? Cosmic Remnant
What will SNhunt274's explosion site look like in 1,000 to 10,000 years? Cosmic Remnant
In which galaxy did SNhunt274 explode, and where is it located relative to the galactic center? Galactic Environment
Where is SNhunt274 located in the night sky and which constellation is it in? Sky Coordinates
How much Milky Way interstellar dust obscures our view of SNhunt274? Interstellar Dust
Across which photometric filter bands was SNhunt274 monitored? Astronomical Observations
What did astronomical spectroscopy reveal about SNhunt274's chemical makeup? Astronomical Observations
Who discovered SNhunt274 and how was it first detected? Discovery & History
How many scientific publications and observatories have contributed data to SNhunt274? Scientific Research
What other names and survey identifiers exist for SNhunt274? Cross-Identifications
PSN J01110541+3350131. 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).