AstroNote 2026-165

ZTF26aavrgaw / AT2026nuq was first detected by ZTF on 2026-05-10 as an alert with a detection of g = 20.503 AB mag. Forced photometry reveals detections as early as 2026-05-07, with a color of g-r = -0.366 mag. It was reported as a transient to TNS on 2026-05-28. The candidate was identified as a likely TDE by tdescore, and assigned for spectroscopic follow-up. We obtained an optical spectrum on 2026-05-24 with the Kast spectrograph on the Shane telescope, which revealed a blue continuum and broad features consistent with Halpha and He II emission at z=0.16, in line with the TDE-H+He class. No narrow emission lines are detected from the host galaxy. The transient is now post-peak with g-r = -0.182 mag. With these observations, coupled with the persistent blue light curve, we classify ZTF26aavrgaw / AT2026nuq as a likely TDE.

ZTF26aasemes / AT2026kce was first detected by ZTF on 2026-04-09 as an alert with a detection of r = 20.354 AB mag. Forced photometry reveals further r-band detections on 2026-04-05. It was reported as a transient to TNS on 2026-04-09. The candidate was identified as a likely TDE by tdescore, and assigned for spectroscopic follow-up. We obtained optical spectra on 2026-05-11 and 2026-05-24 with the Kast spectrograph on the Shane telescope, both of which revealed a persistent blue continuum and possible low amplitude broad features near lambda_obs ~ 7740 A, which may be consistent with Halpha at z~0.18. The transient is now post-peak with r = 19.439 mag. With these observations, coupled with the persistent blue light curve, we classify ZTF26aasemes / AT2026kce as a likely TDE.

Based on observations obtained with the Samuel Oschin Telescope 48-inch and the 60-inch Telescope at the Palomar Observatory as part of the Zwicky Transient Facility project. ZTF is supported by the National Science Foundation under Award #2407588 and a partnership including Caltech, USA; Caltech/IPAC, USA; University of Maryland, USA; University of California, Berkeley, USA; University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, USA; Cornell University, USA; Drexel University, USA; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; Institute of Science and Technology, Austria; National Central University, Taiwan; Operations are conducted by Caltech's Optical Observatory (COO), Caltech/IPAC, and the University of Washington at Seattle, USA.