Fermi-LAT Detection of a Gamma-Ray and Optical Flare From J0849+5108

ATel #5007; Eggen, J. R., Miller, H. R., Maune, J. D.(Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University)
on 25 Apr 2013; 15:46 UT
Credential Certification: Hugh Miller (miller@chara.gsu.edu)

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The Large Area Telescope (LAT), one of the two instruments on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has observed an increasing gamma-ray flux from a source positionally consistent with QSO J0849+5108 (Identified as a gamma-ray source by D'Ammando et al. 2012, MNRAS, 426, 317D; R.A. = 08:49:57.977, Dec. = 51:08:29.023), a Radio-Loud NLSy1 at redshift z = 0.583 (Schneider et al. 2003, AJ, 126, 2579S). Concurrent brightening of this object in the the optical strongly implies that the object flaring in gamma-rays is indeed the same object seen to be flaring by FERMI. Initial analysis indicates that on April 19, 2013, the source was in a flaring state, with a peak flux (100 MeV < E < 300 GeV) of (5.47 +- 1.97) x 10^-7 ph cm^-2 s^-1 occurring on the following day. A peak optical flux in the R- band of M = 14.52 +- 0.01 was also observed on April 19th, culminating in a ~3 magnitude rise in brightness over a 4-day period. As FERMI operates in all-sky scanning mode, regular monitoring of this source in the gamma-rays will continue. In light of this recent activity, we encourage multi-wavelength observations of this source. Please contact Joseph Eggen (eggen@chara.gsu.edu) if you wish to contribute data on this target. The Fermi-LAT is a pair conversion telescope designed to cover the energy band from 20 MeV to greater than 300 GeV. It is the product of an international collaboration between NASA and DOE in the U.S. and many scientific institutions across France, Italy, Japan and Sweden.