Photometric and spectroscopic evolution of the interacting transient AT 2016jbu (Gaia16cfr)

Understand

We present the results from a high cadence, multi-wavelength observation campaign of AT 2016jbu (aka Gaia16cfr), an interacting transient.

• This dataset complements the current literature by adding higher cadence as well as extended coverage of the lightcurve evolution and late-time spectroscopic evolution.
• Photometric coverage reveals that AT 2016jbu underwent significant photometric variability followed by two luminous events, the latter of which reached an absolute magnitude of M$_V\sim$-18.5 mag.
• This is similar to the transient SN 2009ip whose nature is still debated.