GASP detection of a bright optical flare and mm-cm activity from the blazar 3C 454.3
ATel #1625; M. Villata and C. M. Raiteri (INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, Italy), V. M. Larionov and E. N. Kopatskaya (Astronomical Institute, St.-Petersburg State University, Russia), M. A. Gurwell (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, MA, USA), K. Nilsson and M. Pasanen (Tuorla Observatory, Finland), M. Lister (Purdue University, USA) and the MOJAVE Collaboration, M. F. Aller, A. Arkharov, P. Calcidese, D. Carosati, W. P. Chen, E. Forné, E. Koptelova, P. Leto, and the GASP Collaboration
on 22 Jul 2008; 11:30 UT
Credential Certification: Claudia M. Raiteri (raiteri@oato.inaf.it)
Subjects: Radio, Millimeter, Infra-Red, Optical, AGN, Quasar
The GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) reports on the recent observation of a very bright optical flare from the blazar 3C 454.3. After a moderate flare in June 2008, the source rebrightened from R ~ 15 to ~ 13.4 between the end of June and mid July. Noticeable activity has been also observed in the near-IR (Campo Imperatore), at mm wavelengths (SMA), at 43 GHz (Noto) and 14.5 GHz (UMRAO). A VLBA intensity and polarization image of June 25 (MOJAVE) at 15 GHz is shown at http://www.cv.nrao.edu/2cmVLBA/data/2251+158/2008_06_25/2251+158.u.2008_06_25.pcn.jpg
