Detection of an optical flare from PKS 1222+216 (4C 21.35)
ATel #2436; M. Hauser, S. Wagner (LSW Heidelberg), H. Hagen (Sternwarte Hamburg)
on 12 Feb 2010; 17:06 UT
Credential Certification: Stefan J. Wagner (swagner@lsw.uni-heidelberg.de)
Subjects: Optical, Gamma Ray, >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 gamma-bright blazar PKS 1222+216 (4C 21.35)
(RA=12:24:54.5, Dec=+21:39:23.2 (J2000), z=0.43).
The source was fainter than 16mag (R) in the second half of
2008. It showed a minor flare up to R=15.7mag in April 09, followed by a
dimming to R=16.0mag in May 2009.
In Feb 2010, the flux increased by 0.5mag between observations on the
up to R=14.6mag on Feb 11.
Multifrequency observations of this outburst are encouraged.
ATOM is monitoring this source since July 2008 as a part of its
optical monitoring program of gamma-ray sources. The flux reported
here is the highest ATOM measured flux of this source.
