2005CBET..330....1P

T. Puckett and P. Ceravolo report the discovery of an apparent supernova (mag 19.3) on unfiltered CCD frames (with limiting mag 19.9-20.1) taken with the Puckett Observatory 0.60-m automated supernova patrol telescope in Ellijay, GA, on Dec. 21.46 and 22.41 UT. The new object is located at R.A. = 13h05m52s.46, Decl. = +41o42'59".0 (equinox 2000.0), which is 5".5 east and 20".2 south of the center of NGC 4963. Nothing was visible at this location on images taken by Puckett on numerous dates from 1998-2005 (limiting mag ranging from 18.7 to 20.2). H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, writes that H. Naito, Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory (NHAO), obtained an R-band image on Dec. 24.71 using the 2.0-m NHAO Nayuta telescope that shows the new object at R = 19.5; a measurement of this image by S. Kouzuma and Yamaoka yields position end figures 52s.315, 59".43 (rms residuals about 0".2). Yamaoka adds that a Digitized Sky Survey image taken on 1990 Jan. 25 shows nothing at the position of 2005mb (limiting red mag about 20.5).