Discovery of SN 2025wny: A Strongly Gravitationally Lensed Superluminous Supernova at <i>z</i> = 2.01
Abstract We present the discovery of SN 2025wny (ZTF25abnjznp/GOTO25gqt) and spectroscopic classification of this event as the first gravitationally lensed Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I). Deep ground-based follow-up observations resolve four images of the supernova with <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mo>∼</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mover accent="true"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>.</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>″</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> <mml:mn>7</mml:mn> </mml:math> angular separation from the main lens galaxy, each coincident with the lensed images of a background galaxy seen in archival imaging of the field. Spectroscopy of the brightest image shows narrow features matching absorption lines at a redshift of z = 2.010 and broad features matching those seen in superluminous SNe with far-UV coverage. We infer a magnification factor of μ ∼ 20–50 for the brightest image in the system, based on photometric and spectroscopic comparisons to other SLSNe-I. SN 2025wny demonstrates that gravitationally lensed SNe are in reach of ground-based facilities out to redshifts far higher than previously assumed, and provide a unique window into studying distant supernovae and the internal properties of dwarf galaxies, as well as for time-delay cosmography.
Authors
- Yu-Jing Qin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3658-6026)
- Reed Riddle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0387-370X)
- A. Mahabal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2242-0244)
- Edvard Mörtsell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8380-6143)
- Jacob Wise (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0733-2916)
- Xander J. Hall (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9364-5419)
- Claes Fransson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8532-3594)
- J. Nordin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8342-6274)
- A. Goobar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4163-4996)
- D. Gruen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3270-7644)
- Suhail Dhawan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2376-6979)
- Adam A. Miller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9515-478X)
- Alice Townsend (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6343-3362)
- J. Sollerman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1546-6615)
- Richard Dekany (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5884-7867)
- Cameron Lemon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2456-9317)
- Jacob Osman Hjortlund (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6243-8300)
- M. J. Graham (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3168-0139)
- R. Lunnan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9454-4639)
- R. Michael Rich (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0427-8387)
- C. Fremling (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4223-103X)
- Russ R. Laher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2451-5482)
- Lin Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1710-9339)
- D. A. Perley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8472-1996)
- J. S. Bloom (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7777-216X)
- Igor Andreoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8977-1498)
- Steve Schulze (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6797-1889)
- G. Hélou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3367-3415)
- Eric C. Bellm (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8018-5348)
- Avinash Singh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2091-622X)
- Steven L. Groom (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5668-3507)
- J. Johansson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5975-290X)
- Anjasha Gangopadhyay (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3884-5637)
- M. M. Kasliwal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5619-4938)
- K. Tsalapatas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1062-8886)
- Zoë McGrath (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0726-1328)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Published
- 2025-12-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae1d61
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.15