2012CBET.3146....2M

G. H. Marion and D. Milisavljevic, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), on behalf of the CfA Supernova Group, report that a spectrogram (range 340-740 nm) of PSN J12532935+0209390 = 2012cu was obtained on June 15 UT by K. Rines and S. Wilhelmy 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 2012cu is a type-Ia supernova approaching maximum brightness. A good fit is found to the template of the 1999aa-like type-Ia supernova 2008ds at maximum. Reasonable fits are also found to templates from several normal type-Ia supernovae between 3 and 7 days before maximum. The spectrum is very red, which is attributed to extinction. Na I D is strong, with an equivalent width of 1.73 nm, and C II 658.0-nm is also strong. The velocity of Si II 635.5-nm is measured at the absorption minimum to be approximately 11900 km/s. An estimated redshift of z = 0.003469 for NGC 4771 was taken via NED (from de Vaucouleurs et al. 1991, RC3.9C).