DISCOVERY OF A FAINT CARBON STAR AT HIGH GALACTIC LATITUDE

We report the discovery of a faint carbon star, designated CV 5, locat ed at galactic latitude +81 degrees. Eight angstrom resolution optical spectra show C-2 bandheads at lambda 4737, lambda 5165, lambda 5635, and lambda 6191 Angstrom although the latter bandhead is harder to ide ntify because of blending. Spectral indices indicate that it possesses a temperature of approximately 2600 degrees K and an extremely high c arbon abundance. Its proper motion was measured and an upper limit of 0.025 ''/yr was found. Although a lambda 6191 Angstrom bandhead as str ong as is observed in this star is indicative of dwarf carbon star, th e small proper motion causes us to conclude that CV 5 is most likely a halo giant. (C) 1997 American Astronomical Society.