VLT spectropolarimetry of the fast expanding type Ia SN 2006X

Abstract

Aims. The main goal of this study is to probe the ejecta geometry and to get otherwise unobtainable information about the explosion mechanism of type Ia Supernovae (SNe). Methods. Using VLT-FORS1 we performed optical spectropolarimetric observations of the type Ia SN 2006X on 7 pre-maximum epochs (day -10 to day -1) and one post-maximum epoch (+39 days).