2012CBET.3292....1L

V. Lipunov, Sternberg Astronomical Institute (SAI), Lomonosov Moscow State University, reports the discovery by P. Balanutsa of an apparent supernova (magnitude 16.9) on two unfiltered survey images (180-s exposures) taken with the 0.40-m f/2.5 MASTER-Kislovodsk robotic telescope on Oct. 23.890 and 23.908 UT. The new object is located at R.A. = 1:51:47.70, Decl. = +21:16:20.6 (equinox 2000.0), which is 31".5 east and 6".9 north of the core of the galaxy PGC 1646513 = 2MASX J01514544+2116137, and is 7".0 east and 15".7 north of another nearby galaxy (SDSS J015147.20+211604.9). D. Denisenko and E. Gorbovskoy (SAI) add that the variable was already detected on three MASTER-Kislovodsk images from Oct. 22 (at magnitude 17.1-16.8) and on one image from Oct. 24.77; it is marginally present on MASTER-Amur images taken on Oct. 17. The variable was designated PSN J01514770+2116206 when it was posted at the Central Bureau's TOCP webpage and is here designated SN 2012gd based on the spectroscopic confirmation reported below. Additional unfiltered CCD magnitudes for 2012gd: Oct. 5.540, [18.5 (MASTER-Amur image; via Lipunov et al.); Nov. 4.877, 17.4 (Denisenko, Gorbovskoy, and Lipunov; MASTER-Kislovodsk telescope; images viewable at website URL http://tinyurl.com/d4k5rnh); Nov. 7.200, 18.0 (R. A. Koff; Bennett, CO, USA; Meade 0.25-m f/10 reflector + Apogee U-47 camera; limiting magnitude 19.9; eleven stacked 240-s images; position end figures 47s.73, 21".0; UCAC3 reference stars; image can be viewed via website URL http://tinyurl.com/awelvs5).