2004IAUC.8453....2M

N. Morrell, G. Folatelli, and M. Hamuy, Carnegie Supernova Project, report that a CCD spectrogram (380-920 nm) of SN 2004gs, obtained on Dec. 13.25 UT with the Las Campanas 2.5-m du Pont telescope (+ WFCCD Spectrograph), shows it to be a type-Ia supernova near maximum light. The expansion velocity, derived from the blueshift of the minimum of Si II 635.5-nm, is 11600 km/s (assuming a recession velocity of 7988 km/s for the host galaxy as given in the NED database). SN 2004gs shows an enhanced Si II 597.2-nm absorption line. No evidence for Na I D 589.3-nm can be seen (with an upper limit of 0.05 nm), which suggests little or no dust absorption in the host galaxy.