Electronic Telegram No. 1221 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 2008D IN NGC 2770 M. Modjaz, R. Chornock, R. J. Foley, A. V. Filippenko, and W. Li, University of California at Berkeley; and G. Stringfellow, University of Colorado, report that a spectrum (range 350-970 nm) taken of SN 2008D (cf. CBETs 1202, 1205), obtained by Stringfellow on Jan. 21.22 UT with the Astrophysical Research Consortium 3.5-m telescope (+ DIS) at Apache Point Observatory, shows it to be a type-Ib supernova. The fully reduced spectrum shows the development of conspicuous lines of He I (rest 447.1, 587.6, 667.8, and 706.5 nm), with the maximum absorptions blueshifted by roughly 10000-11000 km/s (assuming a recession velocity for the host galaxy of 1947 km/s). This spectrum, when de-reddened by an A_V value of about 2 mag, is very similar to spectra of the type-Ib supernova 2005hg (cf. CBET 271; Modjaz et al., in preparation), about 1 week before maximum. Cross- correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "Supernova Identification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) indicates that the spectrum of SN 2008D is also similar to that of the type-Ib supernova 1998dt (IAUCs 7006, 7011) at maximum light (Matheson et al. 2001, A.J. 121, 1648). Modjaz et al. furthermore detect strong absorption at 615 nm that could be due to Si II (rest 635.5 nm) at 10000 km/s or, alternatively, very-high-velocity H-alpha at 19000 km/s. SN 2008D was previously classified as a peculiar type-Ic supernova (GCN 7169; CBET 1205). NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars. (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT 2008 January 24 (CBET 1221) Daniel W. E. Green