Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams

IAUC 6256: 1995al; N Cas 1995

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                                                  Circular No. 6256
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
BMARSDEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or DGREEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
Phone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)


SUPERNOVA 1995al IN NGC 3021
      J.-y. Wei, W.-d. Li, Y.-l. Qiu, and J.-y. Hu, Beijing
Astronomical Observatory, report that a spectrogram (range 300-900
nm, resolution 19.5 nm/mm), taken on Nov. 3.88 UT with the 2.16-m
telescope at Xinglong station, shows that this object is a type-Ia
supernova near maximum.  The spectrum shows conspicuous Si II
635.5-nm absorption at 615 nm and resembles the spectrum of the
type-Ia SN 1981B near its maximum on 1981 Mar. 6-9.  Other distinct
absorption features in the spectrum include S II (545.1 nm), Si II
(506 nm), and Mg II (426 nm).
     K. Ayani, Bisei Astronomical Observatory (BAO), Okayama; and
H. Kawakita, Nara, Japan, report that a spectrogram (range 380-730
nm, resolution 1.3 nm; 20-min exposure) of SN 1995al obtained on
Nov. 4.77 UT with the BAO 1.0-m telescope confirms the results
obtained by the Beijing group:  "Absorption features of Si II
(635.5 nm), S II (545.4 nm), and Mg II (448.1 nm) and complex
absorptions of Si II and S II short of 500 nm are clearly seen.
Balmer lines are absent, and the Si II 597.2-nm absorption line is
still weak, indicating that this is type-Ia supernova at maximum;
this spectrum resembles that of SN 1981B at maximum (Branch et al.
1983, Ap.J. 270, 173).  The Si II 635.5-nm absorption line is
blueshifted with respect to the galaxy (NGC 3021, recession
velocity 1500 km/s) by 14~000 km/s and has a FWHM of 6900 km/s."
     T. Barker, Wheaton College, reports that a video recording of
two unfiltered 35-s CCD images on Oct. 24.40 UT shows SN 1995al to
be about 1 mag fainter than the foreground star (V about 16.0)
reported by Pollas on IAUC 6255.  On Oct. 27.40, the same equipment
and exposure times show the supernova about 0.1 mag brighter than
this same star.
     Magnitude estimates (visual unless otherwise noted): Nov. 3.04
UT, 13.0 (S. Moretti and G. Contoli, Lugo di Romagna, Italy;
unfiltered CCD); 3.19, 12.8 (B. H. Granslo, Fjellhamar, Norway);
4.14, 13.1 (T. Vanmunster, Landen, Belgium); 4.20, 12.7 (Granslo);
5.11, 13.0 (P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany); 6.19, 13.0 (Schmeer).


NOVA CASSIOPEIAE 1995
         Visual magnitude estimates:  Sept. 20.87 UT, 8.9 (E.
Broens, Mol, Belgium); Oct. 1.18, 9.1 (Granslo); 16.96, 8.9 (A.
Pereira, Cabo da Roca, Portugal); 24.12, 9.2 (C. E. Spratt,
Victoria, BC); Nov. 3.07, 8.5 (Granslo); 4.77, 8.4 (M. V. Zanotta,
Laino, Italy); 5.861, 8.4 (Schmeer).


1995 November 6                (6256)            Daniel W. E. Green

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