Stars that explode as supernovae come in two main classes. A type Ia supernova is recognized by the absence of hydrogen and the presence of elements such as silicon and sulphur in its spectrum; this class of supernova is thought to produce the majority of iron-peak elements in the Universe. They are also used as precise 'standard candles' to measure the distances to galaxies. While there is general agreement that a type Ia supernova is produced by an exploding white dwarf star, no progenitor system has ever been directly observed. Significant effort has gone into searching for circumstellar material to help discriminate between the possible kinds of progenitor systems, but no such material has hitherto been found associated with a type Ia supernova. Here we report the presence of strong hydrogen emission associated with the type Ia supernova SN2002ic, indicating the presence of large amounts of circumstellar material. We infer from this that the progenitor system contained a massive asymptotic-giant-branch star that lost several solar masses of hydrogen-rich gas before the supernova explosion.

We report the discovery of two new ZZ Ceti pulsators, LP 133−144 and HE 1258+0123, selected on the basis of model atmosphere fits to optical spectroscopic data. The atmospheric parameters for LP 133−144, T eff = 11, 800 ± 200 K and log g = 7.87 ± 0.05, and for HE 1258+0123, T eff = 11, 410 ± 200 K and log g = 8.04 ± 0.05, place them within the empirical boundaries of the ZZ Ceti instability strip. This brings the number of known ZZ Ceti stars to a total of 36, a quarter of which have now been discovered using the spectroscopic approach for estimating their atmospheric parameters. This method has had a 100% success

In preparation for the upcoming all-sky data releases of the Gaia mission we compiled a catalog of known hot subdwarf stars and candidates drawn from the literature and yet unpublished databases. The catalog contains 5613 unique sources and provides multiband photometry from the ultraviolet to the far infrared, ground based proper motions, classifications based on spectroscopy and colors, published atmospheric parameters, radial velocities and light curve variability information. Using several different techniques we removed outliers and misclassified objects. By matching this catalog with astrometric and photometric data from the Gaia mission, we will develop selection criteria to construct a homogeneous, magnitude-limited all-sky catalog of hot subdwarf stars based on Gaia data.

Context. The hot subdwarf B star HS 0702+6043 is known as a large-amplitude, short-period p-mode pulsator of the EC 14026 type. Its atmospheric parameters place it at the common boundary between the empirical instability regions of the EC 14026 variables and the typically cooler long-period g-mode pulsators of the PG 1716 kind. Aims. We analyse and interpret the photometric variability of HS 0702+6043 in order to explore its asteroseismological potential. Methods. We report on rapid wide band CCD photometric observations to follow up on and confirm the serendipitous discovery of multiperiodic long-period luminosity variations with typical time scales of ∼1 h in HS 0702+6043, in addition to the two previously known pulsations at 363 s and 383 s. In particular, we isolate a relatively low-amplitude (∼4 mmag), long-period (3538 ± 130 s) light variation. Results. We argue that the most likely origin for this luminosity variation is the presence of an excited g-mode pulsation. If confirmed, HS 0702+6043 would constitute a rare addition to the very select class of pulsating stars showing simultaneously parts of their pressure and gravity mode pulsation spectra. The asteroseismological potential of such stars is immense, and HS 0702+6043 thus becomes a target of choice for future investigations. While our discovery appears consistent with the location of HS 0702+6043 at the common boundary between the two families of pulsating sdB stars, it does challenge theory's current description of stability and driving mechanisms in pulsating B subdwarfs.

We present an analysis of the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE ) spectra of five V1093 Her (PG 1716+426) stars, the subgroup of hydrogen-rich subdwarf B stars that exhibit very low amplitude, long-period luminosity variations. Our primary aim is to investigate whether these stars display abundances which differ from those observed in the nonvariable sdB stars and also in the shorter period V361 Hya variables. For the light elements and for those beyond the iron peak, our abundances are consistent with the trends observed in earlier studies. For the important iron peak elements Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni, which are thought to be directly linked to the driving mechanism in both long-period and short-period variables, the abundances determined in the V1093 Her stars appear very homogeneous and exhibit mild enrichments (by factors of 2Y5 for Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co) over the solar value. However, these abundances do not differ appreciably from those measured in a sample consisting of constant stars and one short-period pulsator. The implications of these findings for current models which involve both diffusion processes and stellar winds to account for the driving of nonradial pulsations in sdB stars are discussed.