A 1689 HAWK-I J-band image

Our survey was based on multi-epoch J-band observations with the HAWK-I instrument on VLT, with supporting optical data from the Nordic Optical Telescope. Our search resulted in the discovery of five photometrically classified, core-collapse supernovae with high redshifts of 0.671<z<1.703 and magnifications in the range {DELTA}m=-0.31 to -1.58mag, as calculated from lensing models in the literature.

Owing to the power of the lensing cluster, the survey had the sensitivity to detect supernovae up to very high redshifts, z~3, albeit for a limited region of space. We present a study of the core-collapse supernova rates for 0.4<=z<2.9, and find good agreement with previous estimates and predictions from star formation history. During our survey, we also discovered two Type Ia supernovae in A 1689 cluster members, which allowed us to determine the cluster Ia rate to be 0.14+0.19-0.09+/-0.01SNuB*h^2^ (SNuB=10^-12^SNeL_{sun},B_^-1^yr^-1^), where the error bars indicate 1{sigma} confidence intervals, statistical and systematic, respectively.