Electronic Telegram No. 1969 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A. IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions) CBAT@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science) URL http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html SUPERNOVA 2009js IN NGC 918 Independent discoveries of a supernova in NGC 918 have been received, first via S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, who reports the discovery by K. Itagaki (Teppo-cho, Yamagata) of an apparent supernova (mag 17.2) on ten or more 15-s unfiltered CCD frames (limiting mag 19.5) taken around Oct. 11.69 UT using a 0.60-m f/5.7 reflector, noting that nothing is visible at the new object's position (tabulated below) on the Digitized Sky Survey. Itagaki's discovery image is posted at website URL http://www.k-itagaki.jp/images/ngc918.jpg. Nakano also forwards confirming astrometry from T. Yusa (Osaki, Miyagi-ken, Japan), from five 120-s unfiltered CCD exposures (limiting magnitude 19.5) taken remotely using a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector near Mayhill, NM, U.S.A., as tabulated below. An independent discovery of 2009js was then received by X. Parisky, S. B. Cenko, W. Li, and A. V. Filippenko, University of California, on unfiltered LOSS/KAIT images (cf. CBET 1963), as also tabulated below. Available astrometry and unfiltered CCD magnitudes for 2009js: 2009 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset Observer Oct. 11.44 2 25 48.28 +18 29 25.8 17.2 35".5 W, 20".7 S KAIT 11.689 2 25 48.30 +18 29 26.2 17.2 35" W, 20".5 S Itagaki 12.172 2 25 48.30 +18 29 25.8 16.7 Yusa 12.527 2 25 48.29 +18 29 26.2 17.2 Itagaki Additional unfiltered CCD magnitudes for 2009js (including limiting magnitudes from archival images): 2007 Aug. 23, [19.0 (Itagaki); 2009 Sept. 24.67, [18.5 (Itagaki); 30.44, [18.9 (KAIT); Oct. 12.44, 17.3. J. M. Silverman, M. T. Kandrashoff, and A. V. Filippenko, University of California, Berkeley, report that inspection of CCD spectra (range 340-1000 nm), obtained on Oct. 12 UT with the 3-m Shane reflector (+ Kast) at Lick Observatory, shows that SN 2009js is a type-II supernova; cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "SuperNova IDentification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) indicates that it is most similar to the type-IIP supernova 2005cs about two days after maximum brightness. After removal of the host-galaxy recession velocity of 1507 km/s (Rhee et al. 1996, A.Ap. Suppl. 115, 407), the H-alpha absorption (which is greatly dominated by the emission component) is found to be blueshifted by about 7200 km/s. NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars. (C) Copyright 2009 CBAT 2009 October 12 (CBET 1969) Daniel W. E. Green