2012CBET.3028....2D

M. Dennefeld, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris and University of Paris 6; A. Rajoelimanana, P. Vaisanen, and H. Worters, South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO); A. Tekola, SAAO and Las Cumbres Observatory; and thirteen students in the IAU's International School of Young Astronomers program (I. Uba, Nigeria; F. Owayesy and C. Tumwine, Uganda; E. Christopher, Tanzania; P. Simpemba, Zambia; and L. Catala, N. Madhanpall, S. Makhatini, Z. Mguda, R. Ramphul, P. Skelton, D. Viljoen, and S. Wilson, South Africa) report that a spectrum (range 363-734 nm, resolution 0.5 nm) of PSN J23255963-8154333 = SN 2012ah was obtained on Feb. 21.78 UT with the SAAO 1.9-m telescope (+ grating spectrograph). Comparison with a library of supernovae spectra via GELATO (Harutyuyan et al. 2008, A.Ap. 488, 383) gives a best fit with a normal type-Ia supernova close to maximum (e.g., SN 2000dk or SN 1989B). Using the Si II 635.5-nm absorption feature and a recession velocity of the galaxy NGC 7637 of 3700 km/s (Fairall and Jones 1991, Southern Redshift Catalogue, University of Capetown), an expansion velocity of 10500 km/s is derived.