Walter's LogBook
	May 8, 2007 (Tuesday)

My First Supernova Discovery

After scanning some 18000 galaxy images over 12 months, I finally found my first supernova! The official discovery announcement was made in Electronic Telegram No. 954 of the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION.

SUPERNOVA 2007cf IN MCG +02-39-21
T. Puckett and W. McDonald report the discovery of an apparent supernova (mag 17.9) on an image (limiting mag 19.5) taken with a 0.60-m reflector at Ellijay, GA, on May 8.31 UT in the course of the Puckett Observatory Supernova Search. The new object, which was confirmed at mag 17.9 on an image (limiting mag 19.9) taken by T. Orff with a 0.60-m reflector on May 9.16, is located at R.A. = 15h23m07s.66, Decl. = +8o31'45".5 (equinox 2000.0), which is 3".3 east and 3".1 north of the center of MCG +02-39-21. Nothing is visible at this location on images taken by Puckett on Apr. 22 (limiting mag 19.7).

Further information was released in Telegram No. 958: Teams at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and University of California, Berkeley have determined (via spectroscopy) that this is a type-Ia supernova around one week past maximum light. The host galaxy is receding at 9873 km/s.

Supernova 2007cf in MCG +02-39-21
POSS image.	Discovery image.