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SN 2013ge in NGC 3287

Image of a spiral galaxy with a pullout showing a fading supernova in three panels.

Hubble images of galaxy NGC 3287 show supernova 2013ge fading over time, revealing the steady source of ultraviolet light astronomers have identified as its binary companion star. 

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    10:34:47.27
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    +21:38:54.04
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Leo
  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    About 47 million light-years
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    Image is about 2.26 arcmin across (about 31,000 light-years)

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.

    The Hubble image was created from HST data from proposals: 14668, 15166 (A. Filippenko), and 16165 (O. Fox)

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    WFC3/UVIS
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    Oct 2016, May 2019, Oct 2020
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    F555W, F814W
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    SN 2013ge in NGC 3287
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    A spiral galaxy with a supernova.
  • Release Date
    May 5, 2022
  • Science Release
    Hubble Reveals Surviving Companion Star in Aftermath of Supernova
    Read the release
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA, Ori Fox (STScI); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

Downloads

  • Full Res, 3432 × 2745
    tif (17.06 MB)
  • Full Res, 3432 × 2745
    png (15.62 MB)
  • 2000 × 1599
    png (5.45 MB)
  • Unannotated Image, 3432 × 2745
    tif (18.01 MB)
  • Unannotated Image, 3432 × 2745
    png (16.69 MB)
  • Unannotated Image, 2000 × 1599
    png (5.73 MB)
Image of a spiral galaxy with a pullout showing a fading supernova in three panels.
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

These images are a composite of separate exposures acquired by the WFC3 instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope. Several filters were used to sample narrow wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are:Cyan: F555WOrange: F814W

Compass and Scale
Compass and ScaleAn astronomical image with a scale that shows how large an object is on the sky, a compass that shows how the object is oriented on the sky, and the filters with which the image was made.

Related Images & Videos

Supernova and Remnant Star Illustration

Supernova and Remnant Star Illustration

This artist's illustration shows supernova 2013ge, with its companion star at lower right. The companion star is impacted by the blast wave from the supernova, but not destroyed. Over time astronomers observed the ultraviolet (UV) light of the supernova fading, revealing a...

Evolution Scenario for a Stripped Envelope Supernova Illustration

Evolution Scenario for a Stripped Envelope Supernova Illustration

This infographic shows the evolution astronomers propose for supernova (SN) 2013ge. Panels 1-3 show what has already occurred, and panels 4-6 show what may take place in the future. 1) A binary pair of massive stars orbit one another. 2) One star ages into its red giant stage,...

spiral galaxy

Compass Image of SN 2013ge in NGC 3287

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Details

Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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