Observing Molecule and Dust Formation in the Nearby SN 2024ggi

On April 11, 2024, the Type II supernova (SN II) 2024ggi was discovered in NGC 3621 at only 7 Mpc from Earth; one of only a few SNe found within 7 Mpc in the last century. Discovered only hours after explosion, the >2 mag rise over the following 8 hours triggered an intense, worldwide, multi-wavelength effort to provide a high-cadence view of SN 2024ggi’s evolution. JWST observations will provide crucial insights as the only telescope capable of completing the wavelength coverage in the NIR+MIR. The proximity of 2024ggi provides a perfect opportunity to study details of dust formation and any asymmetries in SNe II. The production sites of dust are still debated. AGB stars are considered to be the primary dust producers, but the first dust likely formed before AGB stars had time to produce it. SNe II are expected to play an important role in dust production since their current rate dominates over all other types of SNe. We request 6.18 hr of DDT to obtain a NIR+MIR spectral time-series of 2024ggi at 3 epochs between ~30-400 d past explosion to detect and track the formation and evolution of molecules and dust in the ejecta. The observations will provide a legacy data set from which the community can understand dust formation in SNe II to a degree not previously possible. The data will also uniquely constrain the ejecta of a nearby SN II, adding to the handful of SNe II within 7 Mpc, but with the unparalleled insights that JWST provides. Forgoing JWST observations at the proposed phases will hinder any future science (JWST or otherwise) of SN 2024ggi, and the community will be unable to measure reliably the evolution of dust growth of one of the nearest SN in the JWST era.