List of supernova candidates

This is a list of supernova candidates, or stars that astronomers have suggested are supernova progenitors. Type II supernova progenitors include stars with at least 10 solar masses that are in the final stages of their evolution. (Prominent examples of stars in this mass range include Antares, Spica,^[1] Gamma Velorum,^[2] Mu Cephei, and members of the Quintuplet Cluster.^[3]) Type Ia supernova progenitors are white dwarf stars that are close to the Chandrasekhar limit of about 1.44 solar masses and are accreting matter from a binary companion star. The list includes massive Wolf–Rayet stars, which may become Type Ib/Ic supernovae.

Supernova progenitor candidates

Identifier	Epoch J2000		Constellation	Distance (light years)	Spectral class	Notes
	R. A.	Dec.
IK Pegasi	21^h 26^m 26.7^s	+19° 22′ 32″	Pegasus	150	A8m:/DA	[4][5]
Spica	13^h 25^m 11.6^s	−11° 09′ 40.8″	Virgo	250	B1
Alpha Lupi	14^h 41^m 56^s	–47° 23′ 17″	Lupus	550	B1.5	[6]
Antares	16^h 29^m 24^s	–26° 25′ 55″	Scorpius	600	M1.5Iab-b	[7]
Betelgeuse	05^h 55^m 10.3^s	+07° 24′ 25″	Orion	640	M2Iab	[1][8]
Gamma^2 Velorum	08^h 09^m 32.0^s	−47° 20′ 12″	Vela	800	WC8	[9]
Rigel	05^h 14^m 32.3^s	–08° 12′ 06″	Orion	860	B8Ia	[10]
Pi Puppis	7^h 17^m 08^s	–37° 05′ 51″	Puppis	1,100	K3 Ib
119 Tauri	05^h 32^m 12.8^s	+18° 35′ 40″	Taurus	1,700	M2Iab-Ib
RS Ophiuchi	17^h 50^m 13.2^s	–06° 42′ 28″	Ophiuchus	1,950–5,200	M2III/D	[11][12]
T Coronae Borealis	15^h 59^m 30.2^s	+25° 55′ 13″	Corona Borealis	2,000	M3III/D	[13]
Mu Cephei	21^h 43^m 30.5^s	+58° 46′ 48″	Cepheus	2400	M2Ia	[14]
T Pyxidis	09^h 04^m 41.5^s	−32° 22′ 48″	Pyxis	3,260		[15][16]
WR 142	20^h 21^m 44.3^s	+37° 32′ 31″	Cygnus	4,000	WO2
WR 102	17^h 45^m 47.5^s	−26° 10′ 27″	Sagittarius	9,800	WO2
VY Canis Majoris	07^h 22^m 58.3^s	−25° 46′ 03″	Canis Major	4,900	M5eIa	[8][17]
NML Cygni	20^h 46^m 25.6^s	+40° 06′ 59.4″	Cygnus	5,300	M6I	[18]
P Cygni	20^h 17^m 47.2^s	+38° 01′ 59″	Cygnus	6,000	B1Ia+
Eta Carinae	10^h 45^m 03.6^s	−59° 41′ 04″	Carina	7,000–8,000	LBV	[19][20]
HD 168625	18^h 21^m 19.5^s	−16° 22′ 26″	Sagittarius	7,200	B6Ia	[21]
WR 104	18^h 02^m 04.1^s	–23° 37′ 41″	Sagittarius	8,000	WC9d/OB	[22][23]
IRC+10420	19^h 26^m 48.1^s	+11° 21′ 17″	Aquila	10,000–23,000	F8Ia+	[24][25]
Rho Cassiopeiae	23^h 54^m 23.0^s	+57° 29′ 58″	Cassiopeia	12,000	G2Ia0e	[26]
IRAS 17163-3907	17^h 19^m 49.3^s	−39° 10′ 37.9″	Scorpius	13,000	late B/early A	[27]
Wray 17-96	17^h 41^m 35^s	–30° 06′ 39″	Scorpius	15,000	B3
Sher 25	11^h 15^m 07.8^s	−61° 15′ 17″	Carina	~20,000	B1.5Iab	[28]
HD 179821	19^h 13^m 58.6^s	+00° 07′ 32″	Aquila	20,000	G5Ia	[29][30]
V445 Puppis	07^h 37^m 56.9^s	–25° 56′ 59″	Puppis	27,000		[31]
U Scorpii	16^h 22^m 30.7^s	–17° 52′ 42″	Scorpius	39,000		[32]
KPD 1930+2752	19^h 32^m 14.9^s	+27° 58′ 35″	Cygnus		sdB/D	[nb 1][33][34]

Notes

1. The Kitt Peak Downes star.

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