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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2418      2008 Feb 05 19.18UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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SUPERNOVA 2008S IN NGC 6946
V. Stanishev, Physics Department, Stockholm University; and A.
Pastorello, Queen's University; report on CBET 1235 that a spectrum of 
SN 2008S obtained on Feb. 4.83 UT with the Nordic Optical Telescope (+ 
ALFOSC; range 350-900 nm) by T. Pursimo, shows that it is likely a 
young, reddened, type-IIn supernova.  The spectrum consists of a nearly 
featureless red continuum with superimposed strong, narrow H_beta and 
H_alpha emission lines (FWHM about 1000 km/s).  A strong interstellar Na 
I absorption line with an equivalent width of about 0.5 nm is visible at 
588.8 nm.

Ron Arbour, the discoverer (TA E-Circular 2416) provides the following 
additional CCD magnitudes obtained with a 40-cm f/5 reflector:
Jan. 24.000 UT, 17.8 (limiting mag about 18.2; pre-discovery)
Feb. 4.771,     17.2 (limiting mag about 18.6).

Patrick Schmeer, Germany, reports on CBET 1236 the following unfiltered 
CCD magnitude estimates from exposures taken with the University of 
Iowa's 0.37-m Cassegrain "Rigel telescope" in Arizona:
2007 Dec. 18.089 UT, [18.5
2008 Jan. 30.529,     16.7 (limiting mag about 18.0)
Schmeer also provides the following position:
R.A. = 20h34m45s.33, Decl. = +60o05'58".4 (2000)

V. Stanishev and A. Pastorello, also report (CBET 1236) that the 
magnitude measured on an R-band image obtained on Feb. 4.83 UT with the 
Nordic Optical Telescope (+ ALFOSC) by T. Pursimo, is R = 16.43; the 
magnitude is measured relative to star 5 (R = 14.336) from Sahu et al. 
(2006, MNRAS 372, 1315).

Guy M Hurst