Color photometry and light curve modeling of apparent transient 2023jri

Close observation of transients, or astrophysical phenomena whose brightness varies over short periods of time, may lead to a greater understanding of our universe’s dynamic evolution. Although some only last for weeks or even seconds, these short-lived transients nonetheless provide astronomers with crucial insights. Extragalactic transients, including supernovae, may contain information on star formation and evolution. Encouraged by these prospects, our team selected transient 2023jri from the Transient Name Server catalog for further analysis. We hypothesized that transient 2023jri was a supernova, a colossal explosion caused by the collapse of a dying star. Over the course of four weeks, we collected data on 2023jri using both local and remote telescopes. Using aperture photometry, we determined the standard Sloan-g and Sloan-r magnitudes of the transient on seven nights. We graphed these changing magnitudes over time to obtain 2023jri’s light curve. We confirmed our hypothesis with standard light curves, ultimately classifying 2023jri as a Type IIb supernova. Finally, because Type IIb supernovae are a less researched supernova type, we further supported our research with an analysis of the color curve and spectroscopy of 2023jri.