AstroNote 2020-61

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 PS20act (AT2020ekq) in the host galaxy NGC 2463, at a redshift of z = 0.028, or d = 115 Mpc (from NED).  The transient was discovered at MJD 58919.24 (2020-03-11.24) at mag i = 19.95 +/- 0.12. It is offset from the host by 3.6" N, 5.6" E ( a projected 3.9 kpc radius from the galaxy centre). At this distance the absolute magnitude is M_i = -15.4 (assuming m-M = 35.31 and foreground exinction of  A_i = 0.09). Spectroscopic classification is encouraged. 

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.