Welcome to http://www.handsonuniverse.org/activities/Explorations/SN2002ap/

WOW!  A Supernova (SN) in galaxy M74!  Match the star patterns. 

Can you find SN 2002ap by looking?

HOU students, P. Weber and M. Watkins, of teacher, Tom Killens, at Lakelands HS, requested an image of galaxy M74.  Images were taken with the Yerkes Rooftop Meade 10 inch telescope, HOU-ELM, October 28, 2001.  At this time the telescope had an SBIG ST7 CCD camera.  Look at all the images to see a  composite of the galaxy.

Matt Seegers, a student of Kevin McCarron, at Oak Park & River Forest HS, took this image of the galaxy M74 on February 6, 2002.  Matt operated the same telescope remotely from Oak Park.  The scale of this image is different because HOU upgraded the CCD from the SBIG ST7 to a new SBIG ST9.

Did you find the SN?   Study the stars in the lower right area of the images. Ready to see the SN?  Look here!
Link to .fts images of M74 with and without SN 2002ap.

M74 is in the constellation, Pisces.  Coordinates of SN 2002ap are:
    Right Ascension:   01 hours 36 minutes 24 seconds
    Declination:          +15 degrees 45.2 minutes. 

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More Webpages for SN 2002ap

• SN2002ap with Yerkes 24 inch telescope.

• Analyze the magnitude of this SN.  Observe the SN over time.  Use the AAVSO reference charts and HOU-IP image processing software.   

• Modified AAVSO Finder Chart.  (Find more information at the AAVSO website: http://www.aavso.org)

Supernovae Searches in General

• HOU Supernova Research Project 

• International Supersnovae Network

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How / Where to Find the .fts Images of M74 and SN 2002ap

• HOU Images of M74 with and  without SN 2002ap.

• HOU Database: HOU Homepage:  Images, Request Queue, Browse Completed Requests. Look for M74 recent requests.

• Or do an Advanced Search.
  HOU Homepage: Images, Request Queue.  Link to Advanced Search: Object: M74; Order by descending requests.

• HOU Schools:  Help us observe this object by making an Observation Request for M74! (M74 is low in altitude from our observatory.  You will get an error message.  Just ignore it and proceed.  If you have trouble, please send email to houstaff@hou.lbl.gov, or vhoette@hale.yerkes.uchicago.edu.

Find out more about HOU 
Join HOU and Order HOU Materials including software. 
HS Teachers' Opportunity Summer 2002: Register for NSF study.