Upper row: from left to right, the color SDSS image of NGC 976, the observed Hα flux and velocity maps. Lower row: the ionization parameter log (U), the visual extinction A_V estimated from the Balmer decrement and the metallicity map derived with the Pettini & Pagel (2004) O3N2 method. In all maps presented in this paper, ×  marks the galaxy center and +  the SN position. The four contour levels overplotted on the extinction and metallicity maps are derived from the Hα map. The four levels are 0.8, 0.6, 0.4 and 0.2 of the maximum Hα flux. The x,y coordinates are in arcsec with respect to the map centers. The orientation of the images is north – up, east – left.