A study in scarlet: I. Photometric properties of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients

G. Valerin; A. Pastorello; A. Reguitti; S. Benetti; Y. Z. Cai; T. W. Chen; D. Eappachen; N. Elias-Rosa; M. Fraser; A. Gangopadhyay; E. Y. Hsiao; D. A. Howell; C. Inserra; L. Izzo; J. Jencson; E. Kankare; R. Kotak; P. A. Mazzali; K. Misra; G. Pignata; S. J. Prentice; D. J. Sand; S. J. Smartt; M. D. Stritzinger; L. Tartaglia; S. Valenti; J. P. Anderson; J. E. Andrews; R. C. Amaro; S. Brennan; F. Bufano; E. Callis; E. Cappellaro; R. Dastidar; M. Della Valle; A. Fiore; M. D. Fulton; L. Galbany; T. Heikkilä; D. Hiramatsu; E. Karamehmetoglu; H. Kuncarayakti; G. Leloudas; M. Lundquist; C. Mccully; T. E. Müller-Bravo; M. Nicholl; P. Ochner; E. Padilla Gonzalez; E. Paraskeva; C. Pellegrino; A. Rau; D. E. Reichart; T. M. Reynolds; R. Roy; I. Salmaso; M. Singh; M. Turatto; L. Tomasella; S. Wyatt; D. R. Young

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202451733

A study in scarlet: I. Photometric properties of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients

G. Valerin^*
, A. Pastorello
, A. Reguitti
, S. Benetti
, Y. Z. Cai
, T. W. Chen
, D. Eappachen
, N. Elias-Rosa
, M. Fraser
, A. Gangopadhyay
, E. Y. Hsiao
, D. A. Howell
, C. Inserra
, L. Izzo
, J. Jencson
, E. Kankare
, R. Kotak
, P. A. Mazzali
, K. Misra
, G. Pignata

S. J. Prentice, D. J. Sand, S. J. Smartt, M. D. Stritzinger, L. Tartaglia, S. Valenti, J. P. Anderson, J. E. Andrews, R. C. Amaro, S. Brennan, F. Bufano, E. Callis, E. Cappellaro, R. Dastidar, M. Della Valle, A. Fiore, M. D. Fulton, L. Galbany, T. Heikkilä, D. Hiramatsu, E. Karamehmetoglu, H. Kuncarayakti, G. Leloudas, M. Lundquist, C. Mccully, T. E. Müller-Bravo, M. Nicholl, P. Ochner, E. Padilla Gonzalez, E. Paraskeva, C. Pellegrino, A. Rau, D. E. Reichart, T. M. Reynolds, R. Roy, I. Salmaso, M. Singh, M. Turatto, L. Tomasella, S. Wyatt, D. R. Young

^*Corresponding author for this work

Astronomical Observatory of Padua
Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera
Chinese Academy of Sciences
National Central University
SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research
CSIC - Institute of Space Sciences
University College Dublin
Hiroshima University
Florida State University
University of California at Santa Barbara
Cardiff University
University of Copenhagen
California Institute of Technology
University of Turku
Liverpool John Moores University
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences
Universidad de Tarapacá
Trinity College Dublin
University of Arizona
University of Oxford
Aarhus University
National Institute for Astrophysics
University of California at Davis
Instituto Milenio de Astrofísica
Oskar Klein Centre
Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
Universidad Andrés Bello
University of Rome La Sapienza
University of Trento
Queen's University Belfast
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia
Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, Inc.
University of Padua
National Observatory of Athens
University of Virginia
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Indian Institute of Astrophysics

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Abstract

Aims. We investigate the photometric characteristics of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients (ILRTs), a class of elusive objects with peak luminosity between that of classical novae and standard supernovae. Our goal is to provide a stepping stone in the path to reveal the physical origin of such events, thanks to the analysis of the datasets collected. Methods. We present the multi-wavelength photometric follow-up of four ILRTs, namely NGC 300 2008OT-1, AT 2019abn, AT 2019ahd, and AT 2019udc. Through the analysis and modelling of their spectral energy distribution and bolometric light curves, we inferred the physical parameters associated with these transients. Results. All four objects display a single-peaked light curve which ends in a linear decline in magnitudes at late phases. A flux excess with respect to a single blackbody emission is detected in the infrared domain for three objects in our sample, a few months after maximum. This feature, commonly found in ILRTs, is interpreted as a sign of dust formation. Mid-infrared monitoring of NGC 300 2008OT-1 761 days after maximum allowed us to infer the presence of ∼10^-3-10^-5 M_⊙ of dust, depending on the chemical composition and the grain size adopted. The late-time decline of the bolometric light curves of the considered ILRTs is shallower than expected for ⁵⁶Ni decay, hence requiring an additional powering mechanism. James Webb Space Telescope observations of AT 2019abn prove that the object has faded below its progenitor luminosity in the mid-infrared domain, five years after its peak. Together with the disappearance of NGC 300 2008OT-1 in Spitzer images seven years after its discovery, this supports the terminal explosion scenario for ILRTs. With a simple semi-analytical model we tried to reproduce the observed bolometric light curves in the context of a few solar masses ejected at few 10³ km s^-1 and enshrouded in an optically thick circumstellar medium.

Original language	English
Article number	A42
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	695
Number of pages	23
ISSN	0004-6361
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451733
Publication status	Published - 2025

Keywords

Circumstellar matter
Supernovae: general
Supernovae: individual: AT 2019abn
Supernovae: individual: AT 2019ahd
Supernovae: individual: AT 2019udc
Supernovae: individual: NGC 300 2008OT-1

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Valerin, G., Pastorello, A., Reguitti, A., Benetti, S., Cai, Y. Z., Chen, T. W., Eappachen, D., Elias-Rosa, N., Fraser, M., Gangopadhyay, A., Hsiao, E. Y., Howell, D. A., Inserra, C., Izzo, L., Jencson, J., Kankare, E., Kotak, R., Mazzali, P. A., Misra, K., ... Young, D. R. (2025). A study in scarlet: I. Photometric properties of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 695, Article A42. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451733

@article{4f7d9faf14fc4ee4bf5465061d533c56,

title = "A study in scarlet: I. Photometric properties of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients",

abstract = "Aims. We investigate the photometric characteristics of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients (ILRTs), a class of elusive objects with peak luminosity between that of classical novae and standard supernovae. Our goal is to provide a stepping stone in the path to reveal the physical origin of such events, thanks to the analysis of the datasets collected. Methods. We present the multi-wavelength photometric follow-up of four ILRTs, namely NGC 300 2008OT-1, AT 2019abn, AT 2019ahd, and AT 2019udc. Through the analysis and modelling of their spectral energy distribution and bolometric light curves, we inferred the physical parameters associated with these transients. Results. All four objects display a single-peaked light curve which ends in a linear decline in magnitudes at late phases. A flux excess with respect to a single blackbody emission is detected in the infrared domain for three objects in our sample, a few months after maximum. This feature, commonly found in ILRTs, is interpreted as a sign of dust formation. Mid-infrared monitoring of NGC 300 2008OT-1 761 days after maximum allowed us to infer the presence of ∼10-3-10-5 M⊙ of dust, depending on the chemical composition and the grain size adopted. The late-time decline of the bolometric light curves of the considered ILRTs is shallower than expected for 56Ni decay, hence requiring an additional powering mechanism. James Webb Space Telescope observations of AT 2019abn prove that the object has faded below its progenitor luminosity in the mid-infrared domain, five years after its peak. Together with the disappearance of NGC 300 2008OT-1 in Spitzer images seven years after its discovery, this supports the terminal explosion scenario for ILRTs. With a simple semi-analytical model we tried to reproduce the observed bolometric light curves in the context of a few solar masses ejected at few 103 km s-1 and enshrouded in an optically thick circumstellar medium.",

keywords = "Circumstellar matter, Supernovae: general, Supernovae: individual: AT 2019abn, Supernovae: individual: AT 2019ahd, Supernovae: individual: AT 2019udc, Supernovae: individual: NGC 300 2008OT-1",

author = "G. Valerin and A. Pastorello and A. Reguitti and S. Benetti and Cai, \{Y. Z.\} and Chen, \{T. W.\} and D. Eappachen and N. Elias-Rosa and M. Fraser and A. Gangopadhyay and Hsiao, \{E. Y.\} and Howell, \{D. A.\} and C. Inserra and L. Izzo and J. Jencson and E. Kankare and R. Kotak and Mazzali, \{P. A.\} and K. Misra and G. Pignata and Prentice, \{S. J.\} and Sand, \{D. J.\} and Smartt, \{S. J.\} and Stritzinger, \{M. D.\} and L. Tartaglia and S. Valenti and Anderson, \{J. P.\} and Andrews, \{J. E.\} and Amaro, \{R. C.\} and S. Brennan and F. Bufano and E. Callis and E. Cappellaro and R. Dastidar and \{Della Valle\}, M. and A. Fiore and Fulton, \{M. D.\} and L. Galbany and T. Heikkil{\"a} and D. Hiramatsu and E. Karamehmetoglu and H. Kuncarayakti and G. Leloudas and M. Lundquist and C. Mccully and M{\"u}ller-Bravo, \{T. E.\} and M. Nicholl and P. Ochner and \{Padilla Gonzalez\}, E. and E. Paraskeva and C. Pellegrino and A. Rau and Reichart, \{D. E.\} and Reynolds, \{T. M.\} and R. Roy and I. Salmaso and M. Singh and M. Turatto and L. Tomasella and S. Wyatt and Young, \{D. R.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Authors 2025.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/202451733",

language = "English",

volume = "695",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

}

Valerin, G, Pastorello, A, Reguitti, A, Benetti, S, Cai, YZ, Chen, TW, Eappachen, D, Elias-Rosa, N, Fraser, M, Gangopadhyay, A, Hsiao, EY, Howell, DA, Inserra, C, Izzo, L, Jencson, J, Kankare, E, Kotak, R, Mazzali, PA, Misra, K, Pignata, G, Prentice, SJ, Sand, DJ, Smartt, SJ, Stritzinger, MD, Tartaglia, L, Valenti, S, Anderson, JP, Andrews, JE, Amaro, RC, Brennan, S, Bufano, F, Callis, E, Cappellaro, E, Dastidar, R, Della Valle, M, Fiore, A, Fulton, MD, Galbany, L, Heikkilä, T, Hiramatsu, D, Karamehmetoglu, E, Kuncarayakti, H, Leloudas, G, Lundquist, M, Mccully, C, Müller-Bravo, TE, Nicholl, M, Ochner, P, Padilla Gonzalez, E, Paraskeva, E, Pellegrino, C, Rau, A, Reichart, DE, Reynolds, TM, Roy, R, Salmaso, I, Singh, M, Turatto, M, Tomasella, L, Wyatt, S & Young, DR 2025, 'A study in scarlet: I. Photometric properties of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients', Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 695, A42. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451733

TY - JOUR

T1 - A study in scarlet

T2 - I. Photometric properties of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients

AU - Valerin, G.

AU - Pastorello, A.

AU - Reguitti, A.

AU - Benetti, S.

AU - Cai, Y. Z.

AU - Chen, T. W.

AU - Eappachen, D.

AU - Elias-Rosa, N.

AU - Fraser, M.

AU - Gangopadhyay, A.

AU - Hsiao, E. Y.

AU - Howell, D. A.

AU - Inserra, C.

AU - Izzo, L.

AU - Jencson, J.

AU - Kankare, E.

AU - Kotak, R.

AU - Mazzali, P. A.

AU - Misra, K.

AU - Pignata, G.

AU - Prentice, S. J.

AU - Sand, D. J.

AU - Smartt, S. J.

AU - Stritzinger, M. D.

AU - Tartaglia, L.

AU - Valenti, S.

AU - Anderson, J. P.

AU - Andrews, J. E.

AU - Amaro, R. C.

AU - Brennan, S.

AU - Bufano, F.

AU - Callis, E.

AU - Cappellaro, E.

AU - Dastidar, R.

AU - Della Valle, M.

AU - Fiore, A.

AU - Fulton, M. D.

AU - Galbany, L.

AU - Heikkilä, T.

AU - Hiramatsu, D.

AU - Karamehmetoglu, E.

AU - Kuncarayakti, H.

AU - Leloudas, G.

AU - Lundquist, M.

AU - Mccully, C.

AU - Müller-Bravo, T. E.

AU - Nicholl, M.

AU - Ochner, P.

AU - Padilla Gonzalez, E.

AU - Paraskeva, E.

AU - Pellegrino, C.

AU - Rau, A.

AU - Reichart, D. E.

AU - Reynolds, T. M.

AU - Roy, R.

AU - Salmaso, I.

AU - Singh, M.

AU - Turatto, M.

AU - Tomasella, L.

AU - Wyatt, S.

AU - Young, D. R.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Aims. We investigate the photometric characteristics of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients (ILRTs), a class of elusive objects with peak luminosity between that of classical novae and standard supernovae. Our goal is to provide a stepping stone in the path to reveal the physical origin of such events, thanks to the analysis of the datasets collected. Methods. We present the multi-wavelength photometric follow-up of four ILRTs, namely NGC 300 2008OT-1, AT 2019abn, AT 2019ahd, and AT 2019udc. Through the analysis and modelling of their spectral energy distribution and bolometric light curves, we inferred the physical parameters associated with these transients. Results. All four objects display a single-peaked light curve which ends in a linear decline in magnitudes at late phases. A flux excess with respect to a single blackbody emission is detected in the infrared domain for three objects in our sample, a few months after maximum. This feature, commonly found in ILRTs, is interpreted as a sign of dust formation. Mid-infrared monitoring of NGC 300 2008OT-1 761 days after maximum allowed us to infer the presence of ∼10-3-10-5 M⊙ of dust, depending on the chemical composition and the grain size adopted. The late-time decline of the bolometric light curves of the considered ILRTs is shallower than expected for 56Ni decay, hence requiring an additional powering mechanism. James Webb Space Telescope observations of AT 2019abn prove that the object has faded below its progenitor luminosity in the mid-infrared domain, five years after its peak. Together with the disappearance of NGC 300 2008OT-1 in Spitzer images seven years after its discovery, this supports the terminal explosion scenario for ILRTs. With a simple semi-analytical model we tried to reproduce the observed bolometric light curves in the context of a few solar masses ejected at few 103 km s-1 and enshrouded in an optically thick circumstellar medium.

AB - Aims. We investigate the photometric characteristics of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients (ILRTs), a class of elusive objects with peak luminosity between that of classical novae and standard supernovae. Our goal is to provide a stepping stone in the path to reveal the physical origin of such events, thanks to the analysis of the datasets collected. Methods. We present the multi-wavelength photometric follow-up of four ILRTs, namely NGC 300 2008OT-1, AT 2019abn, AT 2019ahd, and AT 2019udc. Through the analysis and modelling of their spectral energy distribution and bolometric light curves, we inferred the physical parameters associated with these transients. Results. All four objects display a single-peaked light curve which ends in a linear decline in magnitudes at late phases. A flux excess with respect to a single blackbody emission is detected in the infrared domain for three objects in our sample, a few months after maximum. This feature, commonly found in ILRTs, is interpreted as a sign of dust formation. Mid-infrared monitoring of NGC 300 2008OT-1 761 days after maximum allowed us to infer the presence of ∼10-3-10-5 M⊙ of dust, depending on the chemical composition and the grain size adopted. The late-time decline of the bolometric light curves of the considered ILRTs is shallower than expected for 56Ni decay, hence requiring an additional powering mechanism. James Webb Space Telescope observations of AT 2019abn prove that the object has faded below its progenitor luminosity in the mid-infrared domain, five years after its peak. Together with the disappearance of NGC 300 2008OT-1 in Spitzer images seven years after its discovery, this supports the terminal explosion scenario for ILRTs. With a simple semi-analytical model we tried to reproduce the observed bolometric light curves in the context of a few solar masses ejected at few 103 km s-1 and enshrouded in an optically thick circumstellar medium.

KW - Circumstellar matter

KW - Supernovae: general

KW - Supernovae: individual: AT 2019abn

KW - Supernovae: individual: AT 2019ahd

KW - Supernovae: individual: AT 2019udc

KW - Supernovae: individual: NGC 300 2008OT-1

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/202451733

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/202451733

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:86000655939

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 695

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A42

ER -

A study in scarlet: I. Photometric properties of a sample of intermediate-luminosity red transients

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Keywords

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