2003IAUC.8169....3F

R. J. Foley, L. Desroches, M. Ganeshalingam, W. Li, R. Chornock, and A. V. Filippenko, University of California, Berkeley, report that inspection of CCD spectra (range 320-1000 nm) obtained on July 7 UT with the Shane 3-m telescope at Lick Observatory reveals that SN 2003gj (IAUC 8161) is probably of type Ia, about 1 week past maximum brightness. However, its spectrum appears to be somewhat peculiar for this epoch, being dominated by strong emission lines near rest wavelengths of 550 nm and 645 nm, and a weaker one near 585 nm. Features blueward of 530 nm are very weak, as is the normally prominent O I 777.4-nm absorption. The spectrum is similar to that of the somewhat subluminous (unfiltered absolute magnitude at maximum approximately -18 to -18.5) type-Ia supernovae 2003M and 2003ek at comparable epochs.