Optical and ultraviolet photometry of SN 2012fr

It has a relatively high luminosity, with an absolute B-band peak magnitude of about -19.5mag and a smaller post-maximum decline rate than normal SNe Ia (e.g., {Delta}m_15_(B)=0.85+/-0.05mag). Based on the UV and optical light curves, we derived that a ^56^Ni mass of about 0.88M_{sun}_ was synthesized in the explosion.

The earlier spectra are characterized by noticeable high-velocity features of Si II {lambda}6355 and Ca II with velocities in the range of ~22000-25000km/s. At around the maximum light, these spectral features are dominated by the photospheric components which are noticeably narrower than normal SNe Ia. The post-maximum velocity of the photosphere remains almost constant at ~12000km/s for about one month, reminiscent of the behavior of some luminous SNe Ia like SN 1991T.