Electronic Telegram No. 1576 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A. IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions) CBAT@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science) URL http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html SUPERNOVA 2008ha IN UGC 12682 R. J. Foley, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), on behalf of the CfA Supernova Group, reports that a spectrum (range 350-740 nm) of 2008ha (cf. CBET 1567), obtained on Nov. 18.18 UT by N. Wright with the F. L. Whipple Observatory 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST), shows it to be a type-Ia supernova, similar to the peculiar supernova 2002cx (see Jha et al. 2006, A.J. 132, 189, for a review of this class of objects). The spectrum is similar to SN 2002cx (Li et al. 2003, PASP 115, 453) at 10 days past maximum light -- but with a velocity about 3000 km/s lower. Puckett et al. reported that 2008ha brightened between Nov. 7 and 9 by 0.6 mag (CBET 1567), requiring that the phase of the supernova at the time of this spectrum to be < 9 days after maximum brightness. If the unfiltered light curve is similar to that of the R-band light curve of SN 2002cx, the spectrum of 2008ha should be < 17 days past maximum in the B band, consistent with the phase estimate. From the minimum of the weak absorption line corresponding to Fe II 455.5-nm, a velocity of -3000 km/s is measured, significantly lower than that of SNe 2002cx and 2005hk (approximately -5000 km/s and constant for < 60 days; Phillips et al. 2007, PASP, 119, 360). The spectrum does not have a red continuum, and there is no strong Na D absorption in the spectrum, indicating that 2008ha is not heavily reddened. Assuming (a) a distance modulus of 31.2 +/- 0.5 mag -- derived from a redshift of 1393 km/s from Yu et al. (1993, Ap.J. Suppl. 88, 383), and allowing for several flow models; (b) small Milky Way and host-galaxy extinction; and (c) that the unfiltered magnitudes reported on CBET 1567 approximate those of the R band, SN 2008ha had an absolute red magnitude of M_R = -13 +/- 1 at peak. SNe 2002cx and 2005hk had M_R = -17.6 and -18.3 mag, respectively. Considering the extremely low absolute magnitude and low ejecta velocity, which imply a very low total energy release, Foley et al. wonder if 2008ha is a true supernova that destroyed the progenitor star; if it is, then 2008ha is possibly the least luminous supernova ever observed. NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars. (C) Copyright 2008 CBAT 2008 November 20 (CBET 1576) Daniel W. E. Green