2004IAUC.8343....3G

C. L. Gerardy, University of Texas at Austin, reports that a low-resolution optical spectrogram (resolution 300; range 500-1000 nm) of SN 2004br (cf. IAUC 8340), obtained on May 18.20 UT with the 9.2-m Hobby/Eberly Telescope by B. Roman and F. Deglman, shows it to be an unusual type-Ia supernova, similar to the spectrum of SN 2000cx at three days before maximum light (Li et al. 2001, PASP 113, 1178). Adopting the NED redshift of NGC 4493 (6949 km/s), the expansion velocity of the (rather weak) Si II feature (rest wavelength 635.5 nm) is 9500 km/s.