2009CBET.1763....1K

E. Kankare and S. Mattila, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku, report that they obtained a low-resolution spectrum of 2009cz (cf. CBET 1759) on Apr. 13.2 UT with the Nordic Optical Telescope (+ ALFOSC; range 320-910 nm). The spectrum of 2009cz shows it to be a type-Ia supernova well before maximum light. Adopting a host-galaxy recession velocity of 6337 km/s (Mahdavi and Geller 2004, Ap.J. 607, 202), the Si II 635.5-nm absorption minimum is measured to be blue-shifted by roughly 13000 km/s, and its profile appears flat-bottomed. The measured R-band magnitude of 16.0 for 2009cz corresponds to an absolute magnitude of -18.7, assuming a distance of 87 Mpc (H_o = 73.00 km/s/Mpc).