Possible Recovery of SN 1961V In Hubble Space Telescope Archival Images

Abstract

SN 1961V in NGC 1058 was originally classified by Fritz Zwicky as a ``Type V'' supernova. However, it has been argued that SN 1961V was not a genuine supernova, but instead the superoutburst of an eta Carinae-like luminous blue variable star. In particular, Filippenko et al. (1995, AJ, 110, 2261) used pre-refurbishment HST WFPC images and the known radio position of SN 1961V to conclude that the star survived the eruption and is likely coincident with a V \~ 25.6 mag, V-I ~ 1.9 mag object. Recently, Stockdale et al. (2001, AJ, 122, 283) recovered the fading SN 1961V at radio wavelengths and argue that its behavior is similar that of some Type II supernovae. We have analyzed post-refurbishment archival HST WFPC2 data and find that the new radio position is still consistent with the Filippenko et al. object, which has not changed in brightness or color, but is also consistent with an adjacent, fainter (I ~ 24.3 mag) and very red (V-I > 1.0 mag) object. We suggest that this fainter object could be the survivor of SN 1961V. Forthcoming HST observations may settle this issue.