2005IAUC.8565....2L

D. C. Leonard, California Institute of Technology, reports that CCD spectra (range 330-900 nm) of SN 2005cu (IAUC 8562), obtained on July 12 UT with the Keck I 10-m telescope (+ LRISp), shows it to be a young type-II supernova. The spectrum consists of a blue continuum and P-Cyg profiles of the Balmer and He lines. Adopting the NED recession velocity of 3257 km/s for the host galaxy (from Mathewson et al. 1992, Ap.J. Suppl. 81, 413), the expansion velocity derived from the minimum of the H_beta line is about 9000 km/s. Zero-velocity interstellar Na I D absorption with an equivalent width of about 0.07 nm is detected in the spectrum of SN 2005cu, indicating gas along the line-of-sight in our galaxy and thus suggesting some reddening by dust. Schlegel et al. (1998, Ap.J. 500, 525) estimate E(B-V) = 0.07 mag of Galactic reddening along the line-of-sight to NGC 6754. Interstellar Na I D absorption is detected also at the redshift of the host galaxy, with an equivalent width of about 0.13 nm, suggesting some host- galaxy extinction.