This week in what’s up is a supernova you can see in your telescope, SN2022hrs. It was found in the galaxy NGC 4647 last week on April 16, 2022, by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki. NGC 4647 is right next to the galaxy Messier 60, and both are in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4647 is magnitude 11, while M60 is a much brighter magnitude 9.8. Hundreds are discovered each year, and 2022 is no different even though we’re only five-ish months into the year.

Finding supernova SN2022hrs is simple, as it is magnitude 12.5, meaning yes, it is bright than its host galaxy. First, find Virgo and look for the arm of two stars splitting off from the middle. The further of these two stars away from the line is Epsilon Virginis, and to the north of Epsilon Virginis is M60/NGC 4647, where the supernova is located. We’ll have links to a finder chart in our show notes as well.

Also of note, this week in What’s Up is International Dark Sky Week.

From April 22 to 30, the International Dark-Sky Association celebrates this event. They warn that 83% of the human population lives under light pollution, and this can have significant health effects beyond just not seeing stars in the night sky. It disrupts wildlife, affects human sleep patterns, wastes money, and contributes to climate change.

More Information

Supernovae 2022hrs in NGC 4647 (Rochester Astronomy)

International Dark Sky Week 2022 (IDSA)