This is a list of supernova candidates, or stars that are believed to soon become supernovae. Type II supernova progenitors include stars with at least 8âÂÂ10 solar masses that are in the final stages of their evolution. Prominent examples of stars in this mass range include Antares, Spica, Gamma Velorum, Mu Cephei, and members of the Quintuplet Cluster. Type Ia supernova progenitors are white dwarf stars that are close to the Chandrasekhar limit of about 1.44 solar masses and are accreting matter from a binary companion star.
The list includes massive WolfâÂÂRayet stars, which may become Type Ib/Ic supernovae, particularly oxygen-sequence (WolfâÂÂRayet WO) stars. As of 2023, most of these candidates are in the Milky Way galaxy; however, five oxygen-sequence WolfâÂÂRayet stars are also known in other galaxies.