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ABSTRACT A growing number of supernovae (SNe) are now known to exhibit evidence for significant interaction with a dense, pre-existing, circumstellar medium (CSM). SNe Ibn comprise one such class that can be characterized by both rapidly evolving light curves and persistent narrow He i lines. The origin of such a dense CSM in these systems remains a pressing question, specifically concerning the progenitor system and mass-loss mechanism. In this paper, we present multiwavelength data of the Type Ibn SN 2020nxt, including HST/STIS ultraviolet spectra. We fit the data with recently updated CMFGEN models designed to handle configurations for SNe Ibn. The UV coverage yields strong constraints on the energetics and, when combined with the CMFGEN models, offer new insight on potential progenitor systems. We find the most successful model is a ≲4 M⊙ helium star that lost its $$\sim 1\, {\rm M}_\odot$$ He-rich envelope in the years preceding core collapse. We also consider viable alternatives, such as a He white dwarf merger. Ultimately, we conclude at least some SNe Ibn do not arise from single, massive (>30 M⊙) Wolf–Rayet-like stars. 

ABSTRACT When completed, the PHANGS–HST project will provide a census of roughly 50 000 compact star clusters and associations, as well as human morphological classifications for roughly 20 000 of those objects. These large numbers motivated the development of a more objective and repeatable method to help perform source classifications. In this paper, we consider the results for five PHANGS–HST galaxies (NGC 628, NGC 1433, NGC 1566, NGC 3351, NGC 3627) using classifications from two convolutional neural network architectures (RESNET and VGG) trained using deep transfer learning techniques. The results are compared to classifications performed by humans. The primary result is that the neural network classifications are comparable in quality to the human classifications with typical agreement around 70 to 80 per cent for Class 1 clusters (symmetric, centrally concentrated) and 40 to 70 per cent for Class 2 clusters (asymmetric, centrally concentrated). If Class 1 and 2 are considered together the agreement is 82 ± 3 per cent. Dependencies on magnitudes, crowding, and background surface brightness are examined. A detailed description of the criteria and methodology used for the human classifications is included along with an examination of systematic differences between PHANGS–HST and LEGUS. The distribution of data points in a colour–colour diagram is used as a ‘figure of merit’ to further test the relative performances of the different methods. The effects on science results (e.g. determinations of mass and age functions) of using different cluster classification methods are examined and found to be minimal. 

Abstract PHANGS-HST is an ultraviolet-optical imaging survey of 38 spiral galaxies within ∼20 Mpc. Combined with the PHANGS-ALMA, PHANGS-MUSE surveys and other multiwavelength data, the dataset will provide an unprecedented look into the connections between young stars, H ii regions, and cold molecular gas in these nearby star-forming galaxies. Accurate distances are needed to transform measured observables into physical parameters (e.g., brightness to luminosity, angular to physical sizes of molecular clouds, star clusters and associations). PHANGS-HST has obtained parallel ACS imaging of the galaxy halos in the F606W and F814W bands. Where possible, we use these parallel fields to derive tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) distances to these galaxies. In this paper, we present TRGB distances for 11 galaxies from ∼4 to ∼15 Mpc, based on the first year of PHANGS-HST observations. Five of these represent the first published TRGB distance measurements (IC 5332, NGC 2835, NGC 4298, NGC 4321, and NGC 4328), and eight of which are the best available distances to these targets. We also provide a compilation of distances for the 118 galaxies in the full PHANGS sample, which have been adopted for the first PHANGS-ALMA public data release.