Photometric analysis of Type Ia Supernova 2023jvj

The study of supernovae – large explosions at the end of a star’s life that release immense energy and various elements into space – is important in the fields of stellar evolution and the expansion of the universe. In the large cosmological time scale, supernovae allow for a short glimpse into the universe’s evolution. Upon the discovery of Supernova (SN) 2023jvj, located in an anonymous galaxy in the Boötes constellation, our team launched an investigation to further knowledge of transient objects and their role in the cosmos. In this study, we conducted a photometric analysis of SN 2023jvj to determine its type and distance. We hypothesized SN 2023jvj would be a Type Ia supernova based on reports that there were no hydrogen spectral lines. We observed SN 2023jvj and collected photometric data over four weeks using the 12-inch Meade Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope (SCT) and 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien Telescope (RCT) at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium (LFOP). Images were additionally collected remotely from Australia and Utah via the iTelescope Network. Using this data, standard Sloan green and Sloan red magnitudes were found through color calibration and used to generate a light curve (a plot of supernova brightness over time). SN 2023jvj was then determined to be a Type Ia supernova — a standard candle — with a distance modulus of 35.36. Therefore, SN 2023jvj is approximately 1.246e8 parsecs away from Earth. Our findings have a broader impact on how astronomers analyze the relationship between the brightness and distance of transient objects in the ever-expanding universe.