Detection of an optical flare from 3EG J1429-4217
ATel #2103; M. Hauser (LSW Heidelberg), H. Hagen (Sternwarte Hamburg), S. Wagner (LSW Heidelberg) on behalf of the ATOM team
on 29 Jun 2009; 14:51 UT
Credential Certification: Stefan J. Wagner (swagner@lsw.uni-heidelberg.de)
Subjects: Optical, >GeV, Request for Observations, AGN, Quasar
Most recent measurement with the Automatic Telescope for Optical
Monitoring (ATOM), operated by the H.E.S.S. collaboration and located
next to the H.E.S.S. IACT array in Namibia, shows significant optical
flaring activity of the source 3EG J1429-4217, associated with
PKS 1424-418 (RA=14:27:56.3, Dec=-42:06:19.4 (J2000), z=1.52)).
The source was fainter than 18mag (R) between July 2008 and beginning of
May 2009. After this date, the flux started to increase by more than a factor
of ten up to R=15.9mag on June 28. Multifrequency observations of this
outburst are encouraged.
ATOM is monitoring this source since July 2008 as a part of its
monitoring program of gamma-ray sources. The flux reported
here is the highest ATOM measured flux of this source.