[IAUC] CBET 1129: 20071111 : SUPERNOVA 2007pk IN NGC 579

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                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 1129
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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CBAT en CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
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SUPERNOVA 2007pk IN NGC 579
     Further to CBET 1122, X. Parisky and W. Li report the discovery of an
apparent supernova (mag 17.0) on unfiltered KAIT images taken on Nov. 10.31
UT.  The new object, designated 2007pk, is located at R.A. = 1h31m47s.07,
Decl. = +33o36'54".1 (equinox 2000.0), which is 7".4 east and 1".8 south of
the nucleus of NGC 579.  A KAIT image taken on Nov. 5.33 showed nothing at
this location (limiting mag 19.3).
     A. V. Filippenko, J. M. Silverman, and R. J. Foley, University of
California, Berkeley, report that inspection of a CCD spectrum (range 310-
900 nm), obtained on Nov. 11 UT with the Keck I 10-m telescope (+ LRIS),
shows that 2007pk is a peculiar type-IIn supernova, shortly after explosion.
Its spectrum strongly resembles early-time spectra of SN 1998S (Leonard et
al. 2000, Ap.J. 536, 239); besides the narrow Balmer emission lines (which
are somewhat narrower and weaker than those of 1998S), there is strong,
narrow He II 468.6-nm emission and a weaker C III/N III 460-nm blend.  The
very blue continuum is well fitted by an unreddened 24000-K blackbody
spectrum.


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                         (C) Copyright 2007 CBAT
2007 November 11                 (CBET 1129)              Daniel W. E. Green