Infrared spectra of SN 1987A have been obtained at the Anglo-Australian Telescope since the explosion of this supernova. I present highlights from this program which include the analysis of the molecular emission, the determination of the mass of 57Co in the ejecta and the analysis of the emission due to dust in the ejecta. I also show the spectrum of the supernova in the infrared 5 years after explosion.

Introduction

Prior to the explosion of supernova 1987A only a few supernovae had been studied spectroscopically in the infrared (see Frogel et al. 1987; Graham et al. 1986). Although recently a number of very powerful common-user infrared spectrographs have become available to the community most of the observations of supernova 1987A were made using the previous generation of instrumentation. The near-infrared data discussed here were obtained at the Anglo-Australian Telescope using the FIGS and IRIS spectrographs through a collaboration of the author with Peter Meikle (Imperial College London) and David Allen (Anglo-Australian Observatory). Mid-infrared data were also obtained at the AAT using the UCLIR spectrograph by David Aitken (Australian Defence Forces Academy), Pat Roche (University of Oxford) and Craig Smith (ADFA).

Other groups have also been involved in infrared studies of supernova 1987A. The other major southern observatories (CTIO & ESO) have also presented infrared spectra of SN 1987A although these will not be discussed here.