Webb Telescope Identifies Red Supergiant Progenitor of Supernova SN 2025pht
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified a red supergiant star as the progenitor of supernova SN 2025pht in galaxy NGC 1637, marking the first such detection by Webb.
Astronomers have identified the progenitor of supernova SN 2025pht as a red supergiant star in galaxy NGC 1637, approximately 40 million light-years from Earth. This discovery, made using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), marks the first time Webb has detected a supernova progenitor.
SN 2025pht was discovered on June 29, 2025. By analyzing archival images from both the Hubble Space Telescope and JWST, researchers pinpointed the exact star that exploded. The progenitor was heavily enshrouded in dust, rendering it invisible to optical telescopes but detectable in infrared wavelengths.
Lead author Charlie Kilpatrick of Northwestern University stated, :
"We've been waiting for this to happen – for a supernova to explode in a galaxy that Webb had already observed. We combined Hubble and Webb data sets to completely characterize this star for the first time."
The study also revealed that the dust surrounding the star was rich in carbon, an unexpected finding since such environments typically contain silicate-based dust. This suggests that carbon from the star's interior was brought to the surface shortly before the explosion. The research was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
