CCD photometry of three Type IA supernovae - V, R, and I light curves

Cousins system VRI photometry has been obtained for the Type Ia supernova 1992G with CCDs attached to small telescopes at Leuschner Observatory (LO), Van Vleck Observatory (VVO), and Whitin Observatory (WO). Similar equipment, observing and reduction procedures have been adopted at all three sites and there is generally good agreement among the data sets. Two other Type Ia supernovae, 1991M and 1991T, were observed only at VVO. The shapes of the light curves of all three supernovae, including the spectroscopically peculiar SN 1991, are quite similar, and the combined light curve in V matches Leibundgut's [Ph.D. thesis, University of Basel (1988)] template reasonably well. Since very little R and I photometry of supernovae has been done previously, our data provide the first real definition of SN Ia templates in those bands. The I template is of particular interest since it shows a secondary maximum 23+/-1 days after the primary peak, similar to what is seen in normal Type Ia supernovae at J, H, and K wavelengths. The behavior in R is intermediate between V and I. The existence of substantial structure in the R and I light curves of normal Type Ia supernovae (and its absence in the peculiar Type Ia SN 1991bg) enhances their utility as cosmological probes and provides an observational challenge to models of the event. The observed colors of SN 1991M and SN 1991T as a function of time are quite similar, indicating that they suffer about the same amount of reddening. SN 1992G is clearly more heavily reddened than these two, by about 0.1 mag in R -I. The intrinsic colors of these Type Ia supernovae at V_max_ are V-R =0.0 and R -I= -0.3, with an uncertainty of around 0.05 mag, if the reddening of SN 1991T is E(B-V) = 0.13. If Type Ia supernovae are assumed to be good standard candles, then NGC 4527, the parent galaxy of SN 1991T, must have a peculiar velocity of 1200+/-150 km s^-1^ relative to the Hubble flow and directed away from the Galaxy. If the peculiar velocity of NGC 4527 is less than this, then SN 1991T must be an overluminous SN Ia. Tully & Shaya (1984) regard NGC 4527 as a near-side member of the Virgo cluster falling in at approximately 1000 km s^-1^. Our data alone yield a Hubble constant of 75+/-15 km s^-1^ Mpc^-1^ if M_V_ at maximum light is -18.7 mag, and 50+/-10 km s^-1^ Mpc^-1^ if it is -19.6 mag.