TNS Classification Report No. 705 [ 2017TNSCR..43....1H ]
Date Received (UTC): 2017-01-10 21:36:53 Sender: Griffin Hosseinzadeh
Group: LCOGT SN-KP
Griffin Hosseinzadeh, Curtis McCully, Iair Arcavi, D. Andrew Howell, Stefano Valenti report/s a classification of object: AT 2017be
Type: LBVRedshift: 0.001
Remarks: The spectrum shows a H-alpha emission at the redshift of the proposed host galaxy (z=0.001; Garrido, Marcelin, & Amram 2004, MNRAS, 349, 225; via NED) with a width corresponding to ~950 km/s (marginally resolved by the spectrograph) on top of the somewhat blue continuum of the host (SDSS DR13). Given that the discovery magnitude was 18.5 mag, corresponding to an absolute magnitude of ~-11 mag (Tully 1988, Nearby Galaxy Catalog; Sharina, Karachentsev, & Tikhonov 1999, AstL, 25, 322; via NED), we conclude that the transient is likely an extragalactic LBV outburst (i.e. a supernova impostor).
The following Classification spectrum was provided:
Obsdate: 2017-01-10 08:33:31
Instrument: FLOYDS-N
Telescope: Faulkes Telescope North
Details of the object and its spectra can be viewed here: https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2017be
Date Received (UTC): 2017-01-10 21:36:53 Sender: Griffin Hosseinzadeh
Group: LCOGT SN-KP
Griffin Hosseinzadeh, Curtis McCully, Iair Arcavi, D. Andrew Howell, Stefano Valenti report/s a classification of object: AT 2017be
Type: LBVRedshift: 0.001
Remarks: The spectrum shows a H-alpha emission at the redshift of the proposed host galaxy (z=0.001; Garrido, Marcelin, & Amram 2004, MNRAS, 349, 225; via NED) with a width corresponding to ~950 km/s (marginally resolved by the spectrograph) on top of the somewhat blue continuum of the host (SDSS DR13). Given that the discovery magnitude was 18.5 mag, corresponding to an absolute magnitude of ~-11 mag (Tully 1988, Nearby Galaxy Catalog; Sharina, Karachentsev, & Tikhonov 1999, AstL, 25, 322; via NED), we conclude that the transient is likely an extragalactic LBV outburst (i.e. a supernova impostor).
The following Classification spectrum was provided:
Obsdate: 2017-01-10 08:33:31
Instrument: FLOYDS-N
Telescope: Faulkes Telescope North
Details of the object and its spectra can be viewed here: https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2017be