Yes, astronomers have found what they believe to be the progenitor of a supernova. The object, known as SN 2020tlf, is a red supergiant star located in the galaxy NGC 5731. Red supergiants are massive stars that are nearing the end of their lives and are known to explode as supernovae.
SN 2020tlf was first observed in October 2020 by the Zwicky Transient Facility, a sky survey telescope located at the Palomar Observatory in California. Follow-up observations by other telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope, confirmed that the object was a supernova.
The discovery of SN 2020tlf is significant because it provides astronomers with a rare opportunity to study the final moments of a massive star's life. By observing the supernova, astronomers can learn more about the processes that lead to supernova explosions and how they contribute to the chemical enrichment of the universe.
SN 2020tlf is expected to remain visible for several months, and astronomers will continue to observe it in order to learn more about its evolution.