Electronic Telegram No. 417
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)
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SUPERNOVA 2006ao
     S. Blondin, M. Modjaz, R. Kirshner, and P. Challis,
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report that a spectrum
(range 350-740 nm) of SN 2006ao (cf. IAUC 8681), obtained on Mar.
3.50 UT by M. Calkins with the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m
telescope (+ FAST), shows it to be a young type-II supernova.  The
spectrum contains P-Cyg profiles of the Balmer series, is reddened,
and exhibits strong interstellar Na I D absorption at the redshift of
the host galaxy with an equivalent width of 0.3 nm.  Adopting the NED
recession velocity of 8960 km/s (from "The Updated Zwicky Catalog",
http://tdc-www.harvard.edu/uzc/) for the host galaxy (whose 2MASX
position is given as R.A. = 15h59m19s.08, Decl. = +65o13'57".8,
equinox 2000.0), the maximum absorption in the H_alpha line is
blueshifted by 9000 km/s.


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
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                         (C) Copyright 2006 CBAT
2006 March 4                     (CBET 417)               Daniel W. E. Green