Historical NIR light maximum of the FSRQ GB6 J0742+5444
ATel #17634; L. Carrasco, L. Felix , G. Escobedo, A. Porras, E. Recillas;(INAOE, Mexico)
on 27 Jan 2026; 16:53 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Transients
Credential Certification: LUIS CARRASCO (carrasco@inaoep.mx)
Subjects: Radio, Infra-Red, Optical, Gamma Ray, AGN, Black Hole, Blazar, Quasar, Transient
We report on the recent NIR brightening of the flat spectrum radio quasar GB6 J0742+5444, also known as 4FGL0742.6+5443. On January 21th, 2026 (JD 2461061.9572) we found the object undergoing in a historically bright NIR flare in the lapse of 15 years covered by our observations. On this date, the NIR fluxes in the JHK bands were: J=13.11+/-0.03, H=12.42+/-0.04 and Ks=11.41+/-0.04, respectively. While the NIR flux in the H band on JD 2457481.7631 was H=17.64+/-0.07. Hence, the object has increased its luminosity in the H band by a factor of 120 in this lapse. Recently, this object has shown renewed gamma-ray activity (ATel#17628) and optical activity (ATel#17632). Our observations are carried out with CANICA a NIR camera on the 2.1m telescope at the Observatorio Astrofisico Guillermo Haro, operated by the National Institute for Astrophysics,Optics and Electronics (INAOE, Mexico). We encourage further multiwavelength observations.
