Supernova 2014az in NGC 7691 = Psn J23322284+1551106

Stuart Parker, Canterbury, New Zealand, reports the discovery of an apparent supernova (red mag 16.3) on a 30-s unfiltered CCD image (limiting mag 18) taken by Parker on Apr. 30.750 UT with a 30-cm Astro-Tech AT12RC Ritchey- Chretien astrograph (+ ST10 camera) at his Parkdale Observatory in the course of the Backyard Observatory Supernova Search. The new object is located at R.A. = 23h32m22s.84, Decl. = +15d51'10".6 (equinox 2000.0; reference stars from USNO-B and UCAC4 catalogues), which is 22" west and 18" north of the nucleus of the galaxy NGC 7691. Nothing is visible at this position on Digitized Sky Survey red and infrared images (limiting red magnitude > 19). An image of the variable was posted at website URL http://tinyurl.com/qjx6rqq. The variable was designated PSN J23322284+1551106 when it was posted at the Central Bureau's TOCP webpage and is here designated SN 2014az based on the spectroscopic confirmation reported below. T. Yusa reports that an unfiltered CCD frame taken by K. Shima with a 0.45-m f/4.5 reflector (+ FLI ML-8200 camera) at the Goto Astronomical Observatory at Yatsugatake, Japan, on May 3.776 shows 2014az at mag 16.1 with position end figures 22s.78, 09".4. N. Morrell, E. Hsiao, and M. Phillips, on behalf of the Carnegie Supernova Project, report that an optical spectrogram (range 360-920 nm) of PSN J23322284+1551106 = SN 2014az, obtained with the Las Campanas du Pont telescope (+ WFCCD) on May 5.4 UT, reveals that this is a type-II supernova. Comparison with a library of supernova spectra via the Superonva Identification tool (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024) provides excellent matches with many type II-p supernovae between 2 and 3 weeks from maximum light. Adopting for the host galaxy the recession velocity of 4041 km/s (Huchra et al. 1999, Ap.J. Suppl. 121, 287; via NED), the minimum of the H_beta absorption appears blueshifted by 7100 km/s.