Photometric properties of SN 1987A and other sources in the same field.
Panagia, N.; Clavel, J.; Wamsteker, W.; Gonzalez-Riestra, R.; Lloyd, C.; Gilmozzi, R.; Barylak, M.; Sanz Fernandez de Cordoba, L.
United States, Italy, Spain
Abstract
The authors find that the UV flux of SN 1987A declines since the very first IUE observation at a rate which is faster at shorter wavelengths while the emission around 5100 Å increases slowly but steadily with time. Thus, the UV radiation dominates the overall emission at early phases but becomes completely negligible at later phases. Such an evolution can be explained in terms of a Type II event with an initial compact configuration. The authors also discuss briefly the properties of two stars which can be detected with the SWP camera when the SN fades down. It turns out that none of them can readily be identified with Sk -69°202, the B3 supergiant which conincide positionally with the SN, unless that star has a peculiar UV spectrum for its spectral type. This suggests that Sk -69°202 may indeed be the SN progenitor.