Searching for SN Precursor Eruptions with ATLAS

Supernova precursors, or “imposters,” are giant eruptions that often occur on massive stars or LBVs prior to going supernova. Due to interactions with CSM, binary stars, or massive winds, these pre-eruptions can last from weeks to years. As these precursors are an important end stage to stellar evolution, they provide us with valuable information on the nature of SNe. With a 5-year timeline, a cadence of 2 days, and a depth of 19.5 mag, light curves from the ATLAS project (Tonry et al. 2018, PASP, 130, 4505) are ideal to search for such precursors. We present a preliminary analysis of all ATLAS SN light curves within 100 Mpc.