2003IAUC.8260....2G

C. L. Gerardy, University of Texas at Austin, reports that a low-resolution optical spectrogram (resolution 600; range 420-950 nm) of SN 2003lb, obtained on Dec. 27.23 UT with the 2.7-m Harlan J. Smith Telescope (+ LCS spectrograph) at McDonald Observatory, shows it to be a type-Ia supernova near maximum light; adopting the 5425 km/s redshift of UGC 2850 from the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED), the expansion velocity of the Si II feature (rest wavelength 635.5 nm) is 12400 km/s. M. Salvo, Australian National University and Mt. Stromlo Observatory, also reports that a spectrogram (useful range 370-610 nm) of SN 2003lb, taken in rather poor observing conditions with the 2.3-m telescope (+ Double Beam Spectrograph) on Dec. 27.5, shows it to be a type-Ia supernova around maximum light.