Electronic Telegram No. 1274
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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CBAT@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
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SUPERNOVA 2008ao
     S. Blondin, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), on
behalf of the CfA Supernova Group, reports that a spectrum (range 350-740
nm) of 2008ao (cf. CBET 1269), obtained on Feb. 29.13 UT by G. Narayan with
the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST), shows it to be a
type-Ic supernova around 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 2008ao is most similar to
the type-Ic supernova 1994I at maximum light.  Narrow emission lines are
detected from the host galaxy at a redshift of cz = 4473 +/- 15 km/s,
consistent with the published recession velocity for this galaxy (4606 km/s;
from The Updated Zwicky Catalogue, http://tdc-www.harvard.edu/uzc/).


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
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                         (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT
2008 February 29                 (CBET 1274)              Daniel W. E. Green