 In 1987, the infrared source IRAS 15194-5115 was identified as an extreme carbon star.It was seen to be strongly variable at optical and infrared wavelengths.It is very faint visually, 15th or 16th magnitude in a red filter and below 21st magnitude in a blue filter, but at mid-infrared wavelengths (N band) it is the third-brightest carbon star in the sky.