2004IAUC.8293....2M

T. Matheson, P. Challis, and R. Kirshner, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report that spectra of SN 2004ab, obtained by P. Berlind on Feb. 24.49 UT with the Mt. Hopkins 1.5-m telescope (range 370-750 nm) and by J. Huchra on Feb. 24.41 with the Cerro Tololo 4-m telescope (range 330-940 nm), show it to be a highly reddened type-Ia supernova about a week past maximum. Adopting the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database recession velocity of 1741 km/s for the host galaxy, the supernova expansion velocity is 10400 km/s for Si II (rest 635.5 nm). The spectra show a strong narrow Na I D absorption at the velocity of the host galaxy with an equivalent width of 0.33 nm. The dust maps of Schlegel et al. (1998, Ap.J. 500, 525) indicate a relatively low value for Galactic reddening of E(B-V) = 0.082. The spectral-feature age of the supernova (Riess et al. 1997, A.J. 114, 722) is 6 ± 2 days after maximum light.