List of supernova candidates

This is a list of supernova candidates, or stars that are believed to soon become supernovae. Type II supernova progenitors include stars with at least 8–10 solar masses that are in the final stages of their evolution. Prominent examples of stars in this mass range include Antares, Spica, Gamma Velorum, Mu Cephei, and members of the Quintuplet Cluster. 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, particularly oxygen-sequence (Wolf–Rayet WO) stars. As of 2023, most of these candidates are in the Milky Way galaxy; however, five oxygen-sequence Wolf–Rayet stars are also known in other galaxies.

Table

IdentifierEpoch J2000ConstellationDistance (light-years)Spectral classEvolutionary stagePossible supernova typeNotesR. A.Dec.Wolf 1130 Cygnus54.09 ± 0.02M3 + DSubdwarf + white dwarfIaSupernova will occur in over 6.2 billion years.49 Librae Libra95.3 ± 0.5F8V + DMain sequence + white dwarfIaSupernova will occur in over 500 million years after binary pair merger.NLTT 12758Eridanus114.5 ± 0.1D + DWhite dwarf + white dwarfIaSupernova will occur in 140 billion yearsIK PegasiPegasus154 ± 1A8m: or kA6hA9mF0 + DAMain sequence + White dwarfIaSupernova will occur in 1.9 billion yearsWD J181058.67+311940.94 Hercules160D + DWhite dwarf + white dwarfIaSupernova will occur in 23 billion yearsSigma Sagittarii (Nunki)Sagittarius224.7 ± 9.8B2.5 VMain sequenceIISupernova will occur in over 20 million years after binary pair merger.Bellatrix Orion250 ± 10B2 III or B2VBlue giant II Spica Virgo250 ± 10 Vizier catalog entryB1III-IVSubgiantII See Table 4, p. 10.Mimosa Crux280 ± 20B0.5 IIIBlue giant IIEta Centauri Centaurus306 ± 6B1.5 VneMain-sequence IIAcrux Aa Crux348 ± 5B0.5 IVMain sequenceIIAcrux B Crux348 ± 5B1 VMain sequence IIBeta Centauri Aa (Hadar)Centaurus361 ± 2B1 III Blue giant IIBeta Centauri Ab (Hadar)Centaurus361 ± 2B1 III Blue giant IIEpsilon Canis Majoris (Adhara)Canis Major405 ± 7B2 II or B2 III-IIBright giant or SubgiantIIBetelgeuse OrionM1–M2 Ia–abRed supergiantII-PZeta OphiuchiOphiuchus440 ± 36O9.5VMain sequence IIBeta Scorpii Aa (Acrab)Scorpius400 ± 40B0.5IV-VMain-sequence IIAlpha Lupi (Uridim)Lupus460 ± 10B1.5 IIIBlue giantIIKappa Scorpii Scorpius480 ± 10B1.5 IIIBlue giant IIDelta Scorpii A (Dschubba)Scorpius490B0.3 IVMain-sequence IIBeta Canis Majoris (Mirzam)Canis Major490 ± 20B1 II-IIIBlue giant IIAntares Scorpius550M1.5Iab-bRed supergiantII-PGamma Cassiopeiae (Tiansi)Cassiopeia550 ± 10B0.5IVeMain-sequence IILambda Scorpii (Shaula)Scorpius570B1.5IVMain-sequence IISaiph Orion650 ± 30B0.5 IaBlue Supergiant IIEpsilon Pegasi (Enif)Pegasus690 ± 20K2 Ib–IIRed supergiant IIPi Puppis (Ahadi)PuppisK3 IbRed supergiantII?Rigel Orion848 ± 65B8 IaBlue supergiantIIn(pec?)S Monocerotis AMonocerosO7VMain-sequence IIS Monocerotis BMonocerosO9.5VMain-sequence IIZeta Puppis (Naos)Puppis1,080 ± 40O4If(n)pBlue supergiantIIGamma2 Velorum AVelaWC8Wolf–Rayet starIb/IcGamma2 Velorum BVelaO7.5IIIBlue supergiantIIMintaka Aa1 Orion1,200O9.5IIBlue supergiantIIAlnilam OrionB0 IaBlue supergiantIIAlnitak Aa OrionO9.5IabBlue supergiantDelta Canis Majoris (Wezen)Canis Major1,600F8 IaYellow supergiantIIHD 49798PuppissdO5.5/DWhite dwarfIaSupernova will occur in a few tens of thousands of years119 TauriTaurusM2Iab-IbRed supergiantIIbGamma Cygni (Sadr)Cygnus1,800F8 IabYellow supergiant IIDeneb CygnusA2laBlue supergiantIILKPD 1930+2752CygnussdB/DWhite dwarfIaThe Kitt Peak Downes star.Mu Cephei (Garnet Star)CepheusM2IaRed hypergiantIIn/IIbRho CassiopeiaeCassiopeiaG2Ia0eYellow hypergiantIILVY Canis MajorisCanis MajorM5eIaRed hypergiantIIIRAS 17163-3907Scorpiuslate B/early AYellow hypergiantIIWray 17-96ScorpiusB3Luminous blue variableVV Cephei ACepheus4,900M2IabRed hypergiantStephenson 2 DFK 52 Scutum4,900M0IRed supergiantII-PMu Sagittarii Aa (Polis)Sagittarius5,100B8IapBlue supergiantP CygniCygnusB1Ia+Luminous blue variableIIbHD 168625SagittariusB6IaLuminous blue variableIINML CygniCygnusM6IRed hypergiantIIIRC +10420AquilaF8Ia+Yellow hypergiantIIbWR 142CygnusWO2Wolf–Rayet starIb/IcRY Scuti Scutum5,870O9.7 IbpeBlue supergiant IIb or Ib/cWR 136CygnusWN6(h)-sWolf–Rayet starIcRS OphiuchiOphiuchusM2III/DWhite dwarfIaIRAS 00500+6713Cassiopeia8,000 ± 500WDWhite dwarfIaEta CarinaeCarinaLBV/OLuminous blue variableIbWR 93bScorpiusWO3Wolf–Rayet starIb/IcWR 102SagittariusWO2Wolf–Rayet starIb/IcHD 179821AquilaG5IaYellow hypergiantIILT PyxidisPyxisWhite dwarfIaWR 104SagittariusWC9d/OBWolf–Rayet starIb/Ic with Grb?AG CarinaeCarinaLBV Luminous blue variableIIbWR 30aCarinaWO4/O5((f))Wolf–Rayet starSher 25CarinaB1.5IabBlue supergiantLMC195-1DoradoWO2Wolf–Rayet starIb/IcS DoradusDoradoLBVLuminous blue variableSMC AB8HydrusWO4/O4Wolf–Rayet starIb/IcDR1CetusWO3Wolf–Rayet starIb/Ic with Grb?

Notes

References