Supernova 2003gd in M74

[Whitters]

 Reverend Bob Evans visually discovered a bright (mag about 13.2) Supernova in M74, his 37th supernova discovery! M74 has already produced a 'hypernova,' SN 2002ap last year. The new object turned out to be a type II SN.
The discovery was made on June 12.82 UT, in the twilight at Australia. The precise position, measured from the image taken on the next night with 1.0-m Siding Spring Observatory, is:

R.A. = 1h36m42s.65, Decl. = +15d44'20".9 (J2000.0),

which is about 13" east and 161" south of the center of the spiral galaxy M74, just on the southern spiral arm. There is a foreground star (red mag 12.4) with the position end figures 32s.00, 45'08".7.

The first spectrum was taken on the same night at America, i.e. June 13.46 UT = 0.64 days after discovery, in twilight by Peter Garnavich, University of Notre Dame, and E. Bass, Cornell University. The IR spectrum shows a series of strong and broad hydrogen Paschen emission lines, which indicates that is it a type II SN around maximum (IAUC 8150). The explosion may have occured when M74 was behind the Sun. We are possibly able to enjoy the bright SN for some weeks.
The image at the right was obtained by Australian amateur astronomer Ted Dobosz just shortly after the SN's discovery
http://www.seds.org/messier/more/m074_sn2003gd.html