SN 2017ein and the Possible First Identification of a Type Ic Supernova Progenitor

Understand

We have identified a progenitor candidate in archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images for the Type Ic SN 2017ein in NGC 3938, pinpointing the candidate's location via HST Target-of-Opportunity imaging of the SN itself.

• This would be the first identification of a stellar-like object as a progenitor candidate for any Type Ic supernova to date.
• We also present observations of SN 2017ein during the first ~49 days since explosion.
• We find that SN 2017ein most resembles the well-studied Type Ic SN 2007gr.