Mario Hamuy, Mark Phillips (Carnegie Observatories), and Jose
Maza (Univ. Chile) report spectroscopic observations made 
between 2002 Oct. 29 and 2003 Jan. 10 UT of SN 2002gz
with the Las Campanas Observatory Baade 6.5-m and Dupont
2.5-m telescopes in the wavelength range 320-920 nm.

A spectrum obtained on Nov. 10 UT bears some resemblance to
that of the Type Ic SN 1994I taken 4 days before maximum
(Filippenko 1997, ARAA, 35, 309), yet a few differences are evident
such as 1) SN 2002gz was much bluer and it showed no evidence
for interstellar Na I D 589.3 nm absorption, 2) the Ca H & K lines
in SN 2002gz were much weaker, and 3) the BVI light curves of
2002gz appear to have been already declining by this date
(i.e., our spectrum most likely was obtained after maximum).
By Jan. 10 UT SN 2002gz began to show Na I D absorption
and the spectrum was similar to that of SN 1994I taken
26 days after maximum, but the Ca H & K lines in SN 2002gz
were weak. The first spectrum of SN 2002gz obtained on
Oct. 29 has a very blue continuum, broad low-contrast
undulations, and a weak emission at the approximate 
position expected of H-alpha, perhaps suggesting an
intermediate IIc type. An intermediate IIb type as
suggested in IAUC 8014 seems unlikely since none of
the spectra of SN 2002gz show evidence for strong He I lines.