Supernova 2001fa in NGC 673

A. V. Filippenko and R. Chornock, UCB, report that a CCD spectrum (range 330-1000 nm) obtained on Oct. 20 UT with the 3-m Shane reflector at Lick Observatory reveals that the object is a young type-IIn supernova, with a nearly featureless, very blue continuum and weak, narrow hydrogen-Balmer emission lines. Emission lines of He II 468.6-nm and C III/N III 464-nm, characteristic of Wolf-Rayet stars, are several times stronger than H-beta. The overall spectrum is similar to that of the type-IIn supernova 1998S at very early times (Leonard et al. 2000, Ap.J. 536, 239).