2003IAUC.8187....3W

L. Wang, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; D. Baade, European Southern Observatory (ESO), report on an observation of SN 2003hh (cf. IAUC 8184) with the ESO Very Large Telescopes (+ FORS1) in spectropolarimetry mode on Aug. 20. The data show that SN 2003hh is a subluminous type-Ia supernova well before optical maximum. The Si II 595.7- and 413.0-nm lines are very strong. In addition, a strong, narrow Na I D line is observed, indicating that the supernova suffers strong dust extinction from the host galaxy. The wavelength of the peak of the polarization is at 550 nm, suggesting that the dust in the host galaxy is very similar to that of the Milky Way Galaxy.