SN 1998bw was a rare broad-lined Type Ic
gamma ray burst
In gamma-ray astronomy, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are immensely energetic explosions that have been observed in distant galaxies. They are the most energetic and luminous electromagnetic events since the Big Bang. Bursts can last from ten millise ...
supernova detected on 26 April 1998 in the
ESO 184-G82 spiral galaxy, which some astronomers believe may be an example of a
collapsar (
hypernova
A hypernova (sometimes called a collapsar) is a very energetic supernova thought to result from an extreme core-collapse scenario. In this case, a massive star (>30 solar masses) collapses to form a rotating black hole emitting twin energetic je ...
). The supernova has been linked to
GRB 980425, which was detected on 25 April 1998, the first time a gamma-ray burst has been linked to a supernova.
The supernova is approximately 140 million light years away, very close for a gamma ray burst source.
The region of the galaxy where the supernova occurred hosts stars 5-8 million years old and is relatively free from dust. A nearby region hosts multiple
Wolf-Rayet stars less than 3 million years old, but it is unlikely that the supernova progenitor could be a runaway from that region. The implication is that the progenitor was a star originally if it exploded as a single star at the end of its life.
References
External links
Light curves and spectraon th
Open Supernova Catalog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sn 1998bw
Hypernovae
Supernovae
19980426
Telescopium (constellation)