SN2000cl in NGC3318 

Offset 7.1" E 5.8 S   Magnitude 14.8

Telescope LX200 12" f/d 2.7 180s Camera ST7E UAI 173 Ste Clotilde Reunion Island

Reference Image 2000/2/2		Discovery Image 2000/5/26.666 CCD Magnitude unfiltered 14.8
Referenced Image DSS		Confirmation Image 2000/5/27.729 CCD Magnitude unfiltered 14.8

OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION :

SUPERNOVA 2000cl IN NGC 3318
     Robin Chassagne, Ste. Clotilde, Ile de Reunion, reports the
discovery of an apparent supernova (mag 14.8) on two unfiltered CCD
images (limiting mag 20) taken with a 0.305-m telescope on May
26.666 and 27.729 UT.  SN 2000cl is located at R.A. = 10h37m16s.07,
Decl. = -41o37'47".8 (equinox 2000.0), which is 6" east and 7"
south of the center of NGC 3318.  Nothing appears at this location
on an image obtained by Chassagne on 2000 Feb. 2 (limiting mag 20)
or on a U.K. Schmidt (Digital Sky Survey) image taken on 1980 Jan.
24 (limiting mag about 22).
     A. Maury, Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur, writes:  "L. Vanzi,
L. Testi, C. Lidman, and I obtained a fully reduced 30-min spectrum
of SN 2000cl with the 1.5-m Danish telescope (+ DFOSC) at the
European Southern Observatory on May 27 UT.  The spectrum shows the
typical features of a type-II supernova:  broad H-alpha, H-beta,
and He I at 587.5 nm (the latter with a clear P-Cyg profile).  An
image and the spectrum may be viewed at
http://sc6.sc.eso.org/~lvanzi/sn3318.html."

ISN MAIL :

R. Chassagne, French SN observers and the member of AUDE, has
discovered his 2nd SN in the southern galaxy.  The host galaxy is a
nearby one and the spectrum (type II) and the intrinsic brightness of
this SN suggest that it is peculiar one!  The followups are urged.

  According to IAUC 7432, the discovery was made on May 26.666 when SN
was mag 14.8.  The position of this object is R.A. = 10h37m16s.07,
Decl. = -41o37'47".8 (2000.0), which is 6" east and 7" south of the
center of the tilted spiral (SAB(rs)b) galaxy NGC 3318.  The object
lies on the southern arm.

  Because of low Galactic latitude (b = 14.6), there are several
confusing foreground stars.  Especially, a mag~14 star (27" east and
33" south from the host's core) and a mag~15 star (28" east and 10"
south) are not included USNO-A2.0 catalog.  The discovery image at:
http://www.astrosurf.org/terre/chassagne/SNngc3318.htm will help the
identification.  SN is quite near to the core of the host galaxy.

  The spectrum of SN 2000cl has been obtained at ESO, which shows that
it is of type II event (can be seen at:
http://sc6.sc.eso.org/~lvanzi/sn3318.html) .  However, it seems to me
that it is not a typical type-II event, in opposition to the Maury's
report on IAUC 7432.  The H-alpha, H-beta, He I lines show the narrow
feature.  And, using the NED recession velocity (2770 km/s), the
current absolute magnitude of SN is about -18.2 (with H_0 = 70
km/s/Mpc), which is brighter than the normal type-II SN.  I guess it
is a bright type-IIn event, like SN 1999E or 1998ee.  Note that such a
bright type-IIn SNe are proposed to be related with the GRB events
(like as SN 1997cy), though any GRB has not detected from the
orientation of SN 2000cl these 2 months. The followup observations
are especially encouraged.

Sincerely Yours,
Hitoshi Yamaoka, Kyushu Univ., Japan
yamaoka@rc.kyushu-u.ac.jp