2002IAUC.8004....3M

T. Matheson, P. Challis, and R. Kirshner, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report that a spectrum (range 370-750 nm) of SN 2002he (cf. IAUC 8002), obtained by I. Ginsburg on Oct. 30.47 UT with the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST spectrograph), shows it to be a possibly peculiar type-Ia supernova near maximum. Some titanium features appear stronger than normal, indicating that this may be a subluminous event. The spectrum is similar to that of SN 2000dk at 4 days before maximum. Adopting the NED recession velocity of 7364 km/s for the host galaxy, the supernova expansion velocity is about 13900 km/s for Si II (rest 635.5 nm).