2012CBET.3005....2M

G. H. Marion, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), on behalf of the CfA Supernova Group, report that a spectrum (range 340-740 nm) of PSN J14014169+3349339 = 2012T was obtained on Jan. 27 UT by J. Irwin with the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST). Cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "Supernova Identification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) shows that 2012T is a type-Ia supernova before maximum light. A good fit is found to the template of the 1991bg-like supernova 1999by at four days before maximum. The velocities of Si II at 635.5 and 597.2 nm are 10200 and 9800 km/s, respectively, assuming a redshift of z = 0.026 that was measured from host-galaxy emission lines. The R(Si II) line-depth ratio (Nugent et al. 1995, Ap.J. 455, L147) is about 0.68, which is consistent with 1991bg-like type-Ia supernovae. The most recently reported brightness (mag 17.4 on Jan. 26 by Puckett) is about 1.5 magnitudes below the expected brightness for a normal type-Ia supernova at maximum.