Alceste

We propose high-cadence photometry as a tool to probe the physics of
both thermonuclear and core-collapse supernova explosions. We
demonstrate the idea by conducting high-cadence monitoring of the
optical light curve of the nearby, Type Ia SN 2014J in M82. B and V-band
photometry on days 15–18 after tmax(B) was obtained with a cadence of 2
min per band, using the 2.3 m Aristarchos telescope, at Helmos
Observatory, Greece. The data reveal evidence for rapid variability at
the 0.02–0.05 mag level on timescales of 15–60 min on all four
nights. The rapid variability could be due to one or a combination of
the following scenarios: the clumpiness of the ejecta, their interaction
with circumstellar material, the asymmetry of the explosion, or the
mechanism causing the secondary maximum in the near-infrared light
curve. We present our plans to use the new Prime Focus Instrument with its fast-frame sCMOS cameras on the Kryoneri 1.2 m telescope in Greece, constructed as part of ESA’s lunar monitoring
project NELIOTA, to systematically monitor bright supernovae for rapid variability.