2008CBET.1396....1B

S. Blondin, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), on behalf of the CfA Supernova Group, reports that a spectrum (range 350-740 nm) of 2008cu (cf. CBET 1394), obtained on June 4.42 UT by E. Falco with the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST), shows it to be a type-IIn supernova past maximum light. Cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "Supernova Identification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) indicates that 2008cu is most similar to the type-IIn supernova 2000eo at 56 days past maximum. The spectrum consists of a flat continuum and emission lines of the Balmer series, with a narrow component of about 300 km/s (FWHM for H_alpha) superposed on a weaker and broader component of about 2500 km/s (FWHM for H_alpha). A recession velocity of cz = 10655 ± 173 km/s is derived using ten emission lines in the host-galaxy spectrum.