VLT Detection of a Red Supergiant Progenitor of the Type II-P Supernova 2008bk

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal Vol. 688; no. 2; pp. L91 - L94
• Main Authors: Mattila, S, Smartt, S. J, Eldridge, J. J, Maund, J. R, Crockett, R. M, Danziger, I. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.12.2008; IOP
• Subjects: Astronomy; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Red supergiant; Stellar evolution; stars: evolution-supernovae: general-supernovae: individual (SN 2008bk); Type II supernova
• ISSN: 1538-4357; 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1086/595587

We report the identification of a source coincident with the position of the nearby Type II-P supernova (SN) 2008bk in high-quality optical and near- infrared preexplosion images from the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). The SN position in the optical and near-infrared preexplosion images is identified to within about +/-70 and +/-40 mas, respectively, using postexplosion [image] -band images obtained with the NAOS CONICA adaptive optics system on the VLT. The preexplosion source detected in four different bands is precisely coincident with SN 2008bk and is consistent with being dominated by a single point source. We determine the nature of the point source using the STARS stellar evolutionary models and find that its colors and luminosity are consistent with the source being a red supergiant progenitor of SN 2008bk with an initial mass of 8.5 +/- 1.0 M[image].