SIMBAD references

We report the discovery of a new carbon rich white dwarf that was identified during a proper motion survey for cool white dwarfs based on photographic material used for the construction of the Guide Star Catalog II. Its large proper motion (µ≃0.48arcsec/yr) and faint apparent magnitude (V≃18.7) suggest a nearby object of low luminosity. A low-resolution spectrum taken with the William Herschel Telescope clearly shows strong C₂ Deslandres-d'Azambuja and Swan bands, which identify the star as a DQ white dwarf. The strength of the Deslandres-d'Azambuja bands and the depression of the continuum in the Swan-band region are signs of enhanced carbon abundance for the given T_eff. Comparison of our spectrophotometric data to published synthetic spectra suggests 6000K<T_eff<8000K, although further analysis with specialized synthetic models appear necessary to derive both T_eff and chemical composition. Finally, the range of spatial velocity estimated for this object makes it a likely member of the halo or thick disk population.