2008CBET.1271....1C

Further to CBET 1255, J. Chu, W. Li, and A. V. Filippenko, University of California at Berkeley, report the LOSS discovery of an apparent supernova on unfiltered KAIT images: SN 2008 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2008aq Feb. 27.44 12 50 30.42 -10 52 01.4 16.3 15".2 E, 45".2 S Additional KAIT magnitudes for 2008aq in MCG -02-33-20: Feb. 10.47 UT, [19.1; 28.40, 16.2. S. Blondin, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), on behalf of the CfA Supernova Group, reports that a spectrogram (range 350-740 nm) of 2008aq, obtained on Feb. 28.45 UT by G. Narayan with the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST), shows it to be a young type-II/IIb supernova. The spectrum displays broad P-Cyg profiles from the Balmer series, typical of young type-II supernovae, and, in addition, an absorption feature that may result from a blend of He I 587.6-nm and Na I D and that is particularly strong in type-Ib supernovae. SN 2008aq may thus evolve into a "type-IIb"-like event. Cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "Supernova Identification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) indicates that 2008aq is similar to the type-IIb supernova 2006T (CBETs 386, 425) at around one week before maximum light. Adopting a recession velocity of 2397 km/s for the host galaxy (de Vaucouleurs et al. 1991, Third Ref. Cat. of Bright Galaxies, ver. 3.9), the maximum absorption in the H_alpha line (rest 656.3 nm) is blueshifted by roughly 14000 km/s.