2012CBET.2986....1M

L. A. G. Monard, Calitzdorp, Western Cape, South Africa, reports his discovery of an apparent supernova (mag 16.8) on several unfiltered CCD images taken on Jan. 2.080 UT. The new object is located at R.A. = 14:56:23.64, Decl. = -37:36:18.0 (equinox 2000.0), which is 20" west and 16" south of the core of the type-SBc galaxy ESO 386-39. Nothing is visible at this position on Digitized Sky Survey images (limiting red mag 20.5). The variable was designated PSN J14562364-3736180 when it was posted at the Central Bureau's TOCP webpage and is here designated SN 2012J based on the spectroscopic confirmation reported below. Additional CCD magnitudes for 2012J: 2011 Sept. 21.737, [18.5 (Monard); 2012 Jan. 3.086, 16.9 (Monard); 4.768, 15.8 (Joseph Brimacombe, Cairns, Australia, 41-cm telescope + STL6K camera + infrared filter; range > 700 nm; position end figures 23s.72, 17".9; image posted at URL http://www.flickr.com/photos/43846774@N02/6638708045/).