2008CBET.1267....1H

E. Y. Hsiao, M. L. Graham, C. J. Pritchet, and D. Balam, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, report that a spectrogram (range 390-703 nm, resolution 0.3 nm) of 2008ak (cf. CBET 1260) obtained on Feb. 21.19 UT with the 1.82-m Plaskett Telescope of the National Research Council of Canada, shows it to be a type-II supernova several days past maximum light. Cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "superfit" matching program of Howell et al. (2005, Ap.J. 634, 1190) indicates that 2008ak is most similar to the type-II supernova 1999em (cf. IAUC 7294, 7296) at four days past maximum. The spectrum shows a wide emission feature of H_alpha (FWHM about 7000 km/s) showing a P-Cyg profile. A narrow H_alpha emission (FWHM = 450 km/s) is visible at the redshift of the host galaxy.