We present comprehensive photometric and spectroscopic observations of the faint transient SN 2008S discovered in the nearby galaxy NGC 6946. SN 2008S exhibited slow photometric evolution and almost no spectral variability during the first nine months, implying a long photon diffusion time and a high-density circumstellar medium. Its bolometric luminosity ( 10 41 erg s −1 at peak) is low with respect to most core-collapse supernovae but is comparable to the faintest Type II-P events. Our quasi-bolometric light curve extends to 300 d and shows a tail phase decay rate consistent with that of 56 Co. We propose that this is evidence for an explosion and formation of 56 Ni (0.0014 ± 0.0003 M ). Spectra of SN 2008S show intense emission lines of Hα, [Ca II] doublet and Ca II near-infrared (NIR) triplet, all without obvious P-Cygni absorption troughs. The large mid-infrared (MIR) flux detected shortly after explosion can be explained by a light echo from pre-existing dust. The late NIR flux excess is plausibly due to a combination of warm newly formed ejecta dust together with shock-heated dust in the circumstellar environment. We reassess the progenitor object detected previously in Spitzer archive images, supplementing this discussion with a model of the MIR spectral energy distribution. This supports the idea of a dusty, optically thick shell around SN 2008S with an inner radius of nearly 90 AU and outer radius of 450 AU, and an inferred heating source

We systematically surveyed period variations of superhumps in SU UMa-type dwarf novae based on newly obtained data and past publications. In many systems, the evolution of the superhump period is found to be composed of three distinct stages: an early evolutionary stage with a longer superhump period, a middle stage with systematically varying periods, and a final stage with a shorter, stable superhump period. During the middle stage, many systems with superhump periods of less than 0.08 d show positive period derivatives. We present observational characteristics of these stages and give greatly improved statistics. Contrary to an earlier claim, we found no clear evidence for a variation of period derivatives among different superoutbursts of the same object. We present an interpretation that the lengthening of the superhump period is a result of the outward propagation of an eccentricity wave, which is limited by the radius near the tidal truncation. We interpret that late-stage superhumps are rejuvenated excitation of a 3:1 resonance when superhumps in the outer disk are effectively quenched. The general behavior of the period variation, particularly in systems with short orbital periods, appears to follow a scenario proposed in Kato, Maehara, and Monard (2008, PASJ, 60, L23). We also present an observational summary of WZ Sge-type dwarf novae. Many of them have shown long-enduring superhumps during a post-superoutburst stage having longer periods than those during the main superoutburst. The period derivatives in WZ Sge-type dwarf novae are found to be strongly correlated with the fractional superhump excess, or consequently with the mass ratio. WZ Sge-type dwarf novae with a long-lasting rebrightening or with multiple rebrightenings tend to have smaller period derivatives, and are excellent candidates for those systems around or after the period minimum of evolution of cataclysmic variables.

The young energetic pulsar J1747-2958 (τ = 26 kyr,Ė = 2.5 × 10 36 erg s −1 ) powers the Mouse pulsar wind nebula (PWN), famous for its spectacular tail spanning 45 in X-rays and 12 in radio (d ∼ 5 kpc). We present the results of Chandra observations of the PWN and the analysis of archival lower-frequency data. The Chandra HRC image reveals a point-like source at the pulsar position, ≈1 behind the bow shock apex of the PWN. The flattened appearance of the compact nebula is consistent with an equatorial outflow deformed by the ram pressure, implying that the angle between the pulsar's spin axis and line of sight is ∼ 70 • (in agreement with the radio and γ-ray pulse profiles). The spatially-resolved spectroscopy with Chandra ACIS shows that the power-law (PL) spectrum steepens from Γ = 1.65 ± 0.02 to 3.0 ± 0.1 over the 45 extent of the X-ray tail. However, the tail's X-ray spectrum integrated over its 45 length fits a single absorbed PL with Γ = 2.09 ± 0.03. We also found the Mouse PWN in 150 MHz GMRT data, and a possible counterpart in 24 µm Spitzer data. The multiwavelength data suggest that, at low frequencies, the spectrum of the X-ray-emitting tail region can be described by a broken PL with at least one turnover between radio and X-rays. This is consistent with synchrotron cooling of electrons injected at the termination shock (with an SED slope of 2.2) in an equipartition magnetic field B ∼ 200 µG and a bulk flow speed v ∼ 4000 km s −1 .

We present UBVRI photometry of the supernova 2017eaw in NGC 6946, obtained in the period from May 14 until December 7, 2017. We derive dates and magnitudes of maximum light in the UBVRI bands and the parameters of the light curves. We discuss colour evolution, extinction and maximum luminosity of SN 2017eaw. Preliminary modeling is carried out, and the results are in satisfactory agreement with the light curves in the UBVRI bands.

The rapid increase in serendipitous X-ray source detections requires the development of novel approaches to efficiently explore the nature of X-ray sources. If even a fraction of these sources could be reliably classified, it would enable population studies for various astrophysical source types on a much larger scale than currently possible. Classification of large numbers of sources from multiple classes characterized by multiple properties (features) must be done automatically and supervised machine learning (ML) seems to provide the only feasible approach. We perform classification of Chandra Source Catalog version 2.0 (CSCv2) sources to explore the potential of the ML approach and identify various biases, limitations, and bottlenecks that present themselves in these kinds of studies. We establish the framework and present a flexible and expandable Python pipeline, which can be used and improved by others. We also release the training data set of 2941 X-ray sources with confidently established classes. In addition to providing probabilistic classifications of 66,369 CSCv2 sources (21% of the entire CSCv2 catalog), we perform several narrower-focused case studies (high-mass X-ray binary candidates and X-ray sources within the extent of the H.E.S.S. TeV sources) to demonstrate some possible applications of our ML approach. We also discuss future possible modifications of the presented pipeline, which are expected to lead to substantial improvements in classification confidences.

LS 5039 is a high-mass γ-ray binary hosting a compact object of unknown type. NuSTAR observed LS 5039 during the entire 3.9-day binary period. We performed a periodic signal search up to 1000 Hz, which did not produce credible period candidates. We do see the 9.05 s period candidate, originally reported by Yoneda et al. using the same data, in the Fourier power spectrum, but we find that the statistical significance of this feature is too low to claim it as a real detection. We did not find significant bursts or quasiperiodic variability either. The modulation with orbital period is clearly seen and remains unchanged over a timescale of 10 years when compared to the earlier Suzaku light curve. The joint analysis of the NuSTAR and Suzaku XIS data shows that the 0.7–70 keV spectrum can be satisfactory described by a single absorbed power-law model with no evidence of a cutoff at higher energies. The slope of the spectrum is anticorrelated with the flux during the binary orbit. If LS 5039 hosts a young neutron star, its X-ray pulsations therefore appear to be outshone by the intrabinary shock emission. The lack of spectral lines and/or an exponential cutoff at higher energies suggests that the putative neutron star is not actively accreting. Although a black hole scenario still remains a possibility, the lack of variability or Fe Kα lines, which typically accompany accretion, makes it less likely.

We present observations of the eccentric γ-ray binary B1259-63/LS 2883 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The images reveal a variable, extended (about 4 , or ∼ 1000 times the binary orbit size) structure, which appears to be moving away from the binary with the velocity of 0.05 of the speed of light. The observed emission is interpreted as synchrotron radiation from relativistic particles supplied by the pulsar. However, the fast motion through the circumbinary medium would require the emitting cloud to be loaded with a large amount of baryonic matter. Alternatively, the extended emission can be interpreted as a variable extrabinary shock in the pulsar wind outflow launched near binary apastron. The resolved variable X-ray nebula provides an opportunity to probe pulsar winds and their interaction with stellar winds in a previously inaccessible way.

We report the results of three Chandra observations covering most of the extent of the TeV γ-ray source HESS J1616-508 and a search for a lower-energy counterpart to this source. We detect 56 X-ray sources, 37 of which have counterparts at lower frequencies, including a young massive star cluster, but none of them appear to be a particularly promising counterpart to the TeV source. The brightest X-ray source, CXOU J161423.4-505738, with a fluxF 0.5-7 keV ≈5×10 −13 erg cm −2 s −1 , has a hard spectrum that is well fit by a power-law model with a photon index Γ=0.2±0.3 and is a likely intermediate polar CV candidate. No counterparts of this source were detected at other wavelengths. CVs are not known to produce extended TeV emission, and the source is also largely offset (19′) from HESS J1616-508, making them unlikely to be associated. We have also set an upper limit on the X-ray flux of PSR J1614-5048 in the 0.5-8 keV band (F 0.5-8 keV <5×10−15 erg cm −2 s −1 at a 90% confidence level). This makes PSR J1614-5048 one of the least X-ray-efficient pulsars known, with an X-ray0.5 8 keV 0.5 8 keV 5 . We find no evidence supporting the association between the pulsar and the TeV source. We rule out a number of X-ray sources as possible counterparts to the TeV emission and do not find a plausible counterpart among the other sources. Lastly, we discuss the possible relation of PSR J1617-5055 to HESS J1616-508 in light of the new observations.