2012CBET.2974....1M

B. Moore, J. Newton, and T. Puckett report the discovery of an apparent supernova (mag 14.6) on an unfiltered CCD image (limiting mag 18.8) taken with a 0.40-m reflector at Portal, AZ, U.S.A., on Jan. 7.3869 UT in the course of the Puckett Observatory Supernova Search. The new object, which was confirmed at mag 14.4 on Jan. 8.3352 by Puckett with the 40-cm reflector at Portal, is located at R.A. = 10:25:07.39, Decl. = +17:09:14.6 (equinox 2000.0), which is 25" east and 16" south of the center of the irregular galaxy NGC 3239. Nothing is visible at this position on images taken by Puckett on 2011 Dec. 29 (limiting mag 19.0). An image has been posted by the discoverers at website URL http://www.possdata.com/PSNJ10250739+1709146.jpg. The variable was designated PSN J10250739+1709146 when it was posted at the Central Bureau's TOCP webpage and is here designated SN 2012A based on the spectroscopic confirmation reported below.