Electronic Telegram No. 1253 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 2008af IN UGC 9640 S. Blondin, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), on behalf of the CfA Supernova Group, reports that a spectrum (range 350-740 nm) of 2008af (cf. CBET 1248), obtained on Feb. 11.48 UT by P. Berlind with the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST), shows it to be a type-Ia supernova a few days past 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 2008af is most similar to the type-Ia supernova 1992A (cf. IAUC 5428, 5429) at 7 days past maximum light. Adopting a recession velocity of 10045 km/s for the host galaxy of 2008af (from The Updated Zwicky Catalog, http://tdc-www.harvard.edu/uzc/), the maximum absorption in the Si II line (rest 635.5 nm) is blueshifted by roughly 11700 km/s. NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars. (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT 2008 February 11 (CBET 1253) Daniel W. E. Green