2012CBET.3237....2C

A spectrogram, obtained on Sept. 22.46 UT with the 9.2-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (+ Marcario Low-Resolution Spectrograph) by J. Caldwell, shows a strong Si II 635.5-nm feature and other features due to S II and Fe II, characteristics of a type-Ia supernova. Comparison with other supernova- template spectra with the SNID code (Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) shows that the spectrum of 2012fb is most similar to those of the normal type-Ia supernova 1994D at a few days before maximum. The redshift derived from the narrow H-alpha feature from the host galaxy is 0.038, in very good agreement with the photo-z value given above. The velocity at the photosphere estimated from the minimum of the Si II 635.5-nm feature is about 12000 km/s.