Optical outburst of the quasar CTA 102

[Ciel Extreme]

The 8 billion light year distant quasar CTA 102, which normally shines at about magnitude +17, is currently undergoing an outburst, making it visible in amateur telescopes. I observed it last night from my backyard (NELM about +5.8 at the zenith) and estimated that it shone at about magnitude +13.6 when comparing it to a field star of magnitude +14. I observed it with my LITEBOX 18-inch at 295x and found it easy to see (and certainly brighter than the mag. +14 galaxy NGC 7305 which appears in the same high power field immediately to the west). The outburst began about two weeks ago and it is impossible to say how much longer it will be this bright. So if you’re interested in seeing an object with a redshift of 300,000 km/s+, now is the time, especially considering that the moon will begin to affect visibility in about a week’s time. From a dark sky, the quasar should be visible in an 8-inch telescope. If you observe this object, let us know! Here is a link to the Sky&Tel article by Bob King that alerted me to the visibility of this quasar... it also includes finder charts: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/quasar-cta-102-historically-bright-violently-variable/

[Ciel Extreme]

Here is another link with more info: http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=9756%20

[Jimi Lowrey]

Thanks for the heads up Mark. Nothing like billion year old light!

[Steve Gottlieb]

Back in April 2010 I wrote an article in Sky & Tel on observing blazers. Here's a snippet from that piece.

"...Astronomers now classify these objects as blazars, a term coined in 1978 by Columbia University astronomer Edward Spiegel to encompass two classes of objects: Optically Violent Variable (OVV) quasars and BL Lacertae objects. Blazars are members of a larger group, galaxies with active galactic nuclei (AGNs) powered by actively feeding black holes. As heated material spirals down the accretion disc surrounding an AGN, an intense magnetic field produces high-energy, relativistic plasma jets.

What makes a blazar special is that one of its beams happens to point directly toward us. From our head-on perspective looking down the throat of its jet, a blazar looks much brighter than it normally would. Changes in the jet result in variability in the radio, infrared, optical, X-ray, and gamma–ray wavelengths. In some cases, short-term outbursts of several magnitudes have been recorded over just a few days."

CTA 102 is in the sub-class I mentioned of OVV quasars. The article included another Fall/early Winter blazar -- 3C 66A in Andromeda, which varies from V = 13.5 to 15.6 and lies at a distance of roughly 4.6 billion l.y. It's another good one to check out (and monitor for variability).

[Ciel Extreme]

Thanks for posting this, Steve and for the heads up on 3C 66A.

[lamperti]

Thanks for posting this, Steve and for the heads up on 3C 66A.

My notes from 2007 with a 20" at 272x: "Makes almost a right triangle with UGC-1841 and a field star)

Al

[Vic]

I observed this quasar (CTA-102) tonight with my 16" dobsonian and it seems to be even a bit brighter. I'm estimating it is now around 13.0 mag.
Vic

[Ciel Extreme]

Apparently, it is now brighter than mag. +12... http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=9808

[Steve Gottlieb]

Keep in mind, though, the magnitudes on ATel are R-band (red). There are two V estimates on AAVSO from last night at 12.6 and 12.935 (the first is a visual estimate and the second is with a V-band filter). In any case, I'm planning on taking a look tomorrow night.

[Ciel Extreme]

About five arc minutes NNE of the quasar there’s a tight pair of mag. 14 stars that point right back at the quasar.

[Christopher Ober]

Easily located it last night in a C11 @ 165X from Columbus, TX (half way between San Antonio and Houston). Estimated around 12.7-12.8 without filters, using AAVSO's chart X16992NN. Definitely brighter than the 12.9 reference star on the chart.

[Norman]

"Definitely brighter than the 12.9 reference star on the chart. "

same so in the evening of Dec. the 4th ...

CS
Norman