Recent optical activity of flaring blazars

ATel #4437; R. Bachev, S. Peneva (IA-NAO, BAS, Bulgaria)
on 29 Sep 2012; 10:57 UT
Credential Certification: Rumen Bachev (bachevr@astro.bas.bg)

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We report some recent results of optical (R-band) monitoring of blazars in high brightness state, observed with the 60cm Belogradchik telescope and the 50/70cm Rozhen Schmidt telescope, Bulgaria.

CTA 102. This object is indeed in a very high brightness state, as reported in ATel #4397. We started our observations on September 21.78 (UT) when the object increased its brightness from R=15.02 to R=14.70 (typical errors of 0.02 mag.) within the next 3.2 hours. The following night CTA 102 was even brighter, showing also similar intranight variability, i.e. from R=13.98 to R=13.72 between Sept. 22.79 and 22.95. Occasionally, rapid brightness changes of about 0.2 mag/hour were detected. On Sept. 23.90 CTA 102 also remained quite bright with R=13.88.

S5 0716+714. This is another active blazar, being currently in a high state, close to its historical maximum. The object showed R=12.27 on Sept. 23.14 and R=12.08 on Sept. 24.06.

4C 38.41. Recently it was reported about enhanced gamma-ray (ATel #4389) and NIR emission (ATel #4400) from this object. Our observations indicate also rather high optical state. The object showed R=15.88 on Sept. 22.80 and R=15.49 on Sept. 23.78. Typical low-state magnitudes of 4C 38.41 are around 17.5.

Further multi-wavelength observations of these objects are encouraged.