  We report magneto-transport measurements for the fractional quantum Hall
state at filling factor $\nu=$ 5/2 as a function of applied parallel magnetic
field ($B_{||}$). As $B_{||}$ is increased, the 5/2 state becomes increasingly
anisotropic, with the in-plane resistance along the direction of $B_{||}$
becoming more than 30 times larger than in the perpendicular direction.
Remarkably, the resistance anisotropy ratio remains constant over a relatively
large temperature range, yielding an energy gap which is the same for both
directions. Our data are qualitatively consistent with a fractional quantum
Hall \textit{nematic} phase.
