2012CBET.3014....3C

S. B. Cenko, D. P. Cohen, A. V. Filippenko, J. M. Silverman, and M. Ganeshalingam, University of California, Berkeley, report that inspection of a CCD spectrum (range 340-1000 nm), obtained on Feb. 1 UT with the 3-m Shane reflector (+ Kast) at Lick Observatory, shows that 2012Z is a peculiar type-Ia supernova about a week before maximum light. Cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "Supernova Identification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) reveals that the spectrum of 2012Z is similar to those of SN 2005hk (Chornock et al. 2006, PASP 118, 722) and SN 1991T (Filippenko et al. 1992, Ap.J. 384, L15) at around this epoch. The continuum emission is quite blue, with a weak Si II 635.5-nm feature. The object should become relatively bright; further follow-up observations are encouraged.