Circular No. 8078
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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V838 MONOCEROTIS
     M. L. Sitko, University of Cincinnati; D. K. Lynch, R. W.
Russell, and D. Kim, The Aerospace Corporation; and R. B. Perry,
Langley Research Center, NASA, report on 3-13-micron spectroscopy
of V838 Mon on Feb. 20.4 UT:  "Using the Aerospace Broadband Array
Spectrograph System on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility 3-m
telescope, we observed a choppy spectrum in which a quasi-continuum
could be fit with a temperature of about 1000 K, with considerable
temperature uncertainty.  In the 8-13-micron window, a moderately
strong silicate emission feature with a well-defined central
absorption was apparent.  The silicate absorption feature with red
and blue emission wings resembled that of 'NML Cygnus' (Neugebauer,
Martz, and Leighton 1965, Ap.J. 142, 399) reported by Molster et
al. (2002, A.Ap. 382, 184) and of H II regions reported by Gillett
et al. (1975, Ap.J. 200, 609).  Narrowband magnitudes (each +/-
0.05) were M [4.5 microns] = 2.5 and N [10.2 microns] = 1.4.  There
was little discernable change since our Jan. 8.4 measurement with
the same instrument and telescope (IAUC 8054)."


SUPERNOVAE 2003ao, 2003ar, 2003as, AND 2003at
     T. Matheson, P. Challis, and R. Kirshner, Harvard-Smithsonian
Center for Astrophysics, report that on the spectra (range 370-750
nm) of several supernovae, obtained by P. Berlind on with the F. L.
Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST spectrograph).  A
spectrum of SN 2003ao (cf. IAUC 8070), taken on Feb. 22.30 UT,
shows it to be a type-II supernova.  Adopting the NASA/IPAC
Extragalactic Database recession velocity of 2420 km/s for the host
galaxy, the expansion velocity derived from the minimum of the
H-beta line is 5000 km/s.  The spectrum is consistent with the
plateau phase of a normal type-II supernova.  A spectrum of SN
2003ar (cf. IAUC 8072), obtained on Feb. 22.50, shows it to be a
type-Ia supernova two to three weeks past maximum.  A spectrum of
SN 2003as, obtained on Feb. 22.12, shows it to be a type-IIn
supernova; the spectrum consists of a very blue continuum with
narrow and intermediate velocity-width hydrogen emission lines.  A
spectrum of SN 2003at (cf. IAUC 8074), obtained on Feb. 22.52,
shows it to be a type-II supernova.  A weak, narrow H-alpha
emission line from a nearby H II region indicates a recession
velocity of 7200 km/s for the host galaxy.  Using this value, the
expansion velocity derived from the minimum of the H-beta line is
9600 km/s.  The spectrum consists of a relatively blue continuum
with well-developed P-Cyg lines of hydrogen.

                      (C) Copyright 2003 CBAT
2003 February 22               (8078)            Daniel W. E. Green