04dj 🆕

Because Type II-P supernovae have a predictable "plateau" phase in their light curves, 04dj helped astronomers refine methods for measuring distances to nearby galaxies.

July 31, 2004, by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki. Because Type II-P supernovae have a predictable "plateau"

The star that exploded was identified as a Red Supergiant located in the compact star cluster Sandage 96 . It had an estimated initial mass of 12 to 15 times the mass of our Sun. reaching an apparent magnitude of ~11.2

Type II-P (Plateau) . This signifies it was a core-collapse supernova from a massive star that retained a thick hydrogen envelope. Because Type II-P supernovae have a predictable "plateau"

At its peak, it was the brightest supernova discovered in several years, reaching an apparent magnitude of ~11.2, making it visible even with amateur telescopes. Scientific Significance