Optical activity of the radio- and gamma-ray quasar CTA 102 (PKS 2230+114)
ATel #4141; S. Schwemmer, G. Cologna, J.-P. Lenain, M. Mohamed, S. J. Wagner (LSW Heidelberg)
on 1 Jun 2012; 09:10 UT
Credential Certification: Stefan J. Wagner (swagner@lsw.uni-heidelberg.de)
Subjects: Radio, Optical, Gamma Ray, >GeV, Request for Observations, AGN, Blazar, Quasar
Referred to by ATel #: 4163
We report increased optical activity of the gamma-ray and flat spectrum radio quasar CTA 102 (QSO J2232+1143, 3EG J2232+1147, 2FGL J2232.4+1143, z=1.037).
This quasar is well known for its variability across the electromagnetic
spectrum, but has remained quiescent in the optical range since July 2008. After nearly four
years of low amplitude variability, its optical flux has increased by more than one magnitude and reached R=15.82 on June 1, 2012. The data were obtained with the robotic ATOM telescope, at the
H.E.S.S. site, Namibia.
Further multi-frequency observations are encouraged.
