AstroNote 2019-142

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DRAFT
2019-11-29 15:29:54
Type: Object/s-Discovery/Classification
Pan-STARRS Search for Kilonovae: discovery of an intrinsically faint transient in NGC2273A (32 Mpc)
Authors: S. McLaughlin, S. J. Smartt, K. W. Smith (QUB), K. C. Chambers, M. Huber (IfA, Hawaii), S. Srivastav, O. McBrien, D. R. Young, J. Gillanders, D. O'Neill, P. Clark, S. Sim (QUB), T. de Boer, J. Bulger, J. Fairlamb, C.-C. Lin, T. Lowe, E. Magnier, A. Schultz, R. J. Wainscoat, M. Willman (IfA), T.-W. Chen (MPE), D. E. Wright (University of Minnesota), C. Stubbs (Harvard), A. Rest (STScI)
Source Group: Pan-STARRS
Abstract:
We are carrying out the "Pan-STARRS Search for Kilonovae" which is a focused search for intrinsically faint transients, or rapidly evolving transients in galaxies which are closer than 200 Mpc in the ongoing Pan-STARRS Near Earth Object surveys (see Smartt et al. AstroNote 2019-48 for details).  Here we report the discovery of an intrinsically faint transient PS19gtz (AT2019vrg) in the host galaxy NGC2273A, at a redshift of z = 0.007, or d = 31.8 Mpc (from NED). 

We are carrying out the "Pan-STARRS Search for Kilonovae" which is a focused search for intrinsically faint transients, or rapidly evolving transients in galaxies which are closer than 200 Mpc in the ongoing Pan-STARRS Near Earth Object surveys (see Smartt et al. AstroNote 2019-48 for details). 

In normal survey mode, Pan-STARRS takes 4 x 45s exposures in w, i or z each night reaching 5 sigma magnitudes of w<22, i<21 and z<20.5 in each frame (see Chambers et al. 2016, 1612.05560). 

We report the discovery of an intrinsically faint transient PS19gtz (AT2019vrg)  in the host galaxy NGC2273A , at a redshift of z = 0.007, or d = 31.8 Mpc (from NED).  The transient was discovered at MJD 58813.61(2019-11-26.61) at mag w = 19.70+/- 0.02. It is offset from the host by102.48" S, 31.78" W ( a projected 10.7 kpc radius from the galaxy centre). At this distance the absolute magnitude is M_w = -11.9 (assuming m-M = 31.6 and foreground exinction of  A_r= 0.22).The object is coincident with faint extended source which could either be a region of high surface brightness of NGC2273A or a background galaxy. A spectroscopic classification is required to determine which.

Information on all objects discovered by the "Pan-STARRS search for kilonovae" will be made available at http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/ps1threepi/. We will release AstroNotes for all these candidates and encourage spectroscopic classification or photometric follow-up.  A finder is attached. 

These discoveries are a byproduct of the Pan-STARRS NEO survey observations supported by the NASA Grants, including No. NNX14AM74G issued through the SSO Near Earth Object Observations Program.