SIMBAD references

L. Magill, R. Kotak, M. Fraser, and S. Smartt, Queen's University, Belfast; and P. Ochner, A. Pastorello, and S. Benetti, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, report that optical spectra of PSN J12304185+4137498 were obtained at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo using the LRS instrument by A. Harutunyan on Aug. 18.9 and 19.9 UT with spectral ranges 520-910 and 350-800 nm, respectively. The spectrum is dominated by narrow Balmer lines in emission, superimposed on a relatively blue continuum. The FWHM of the H_alpha feature – which does not exhibit a multi-component profile – is about 1200 km/s. The only other features apparent are most likely due to a blend of Fe II features between 510 and 550 nm, and a feature at 454 nm that is also due to Fe II. The spectrum is reminiscent of that of a supernova impostor, but they note that – on the basis of available positional information – they find no nearby source consistent with an unextinguished luminous blue variable in pre-explosion optical WFPC2 images from the Hubble Space Telescope, while mid-infrared data from Spitzer (+ IRAC) would appear to disfavor a luminous, dust-enshrouded progenitor.