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Swift XRT and UVOT Observations of an Outburst in NGC 2617

ATel #5039; S. Mathur (Ohio Sate), D. Grupe (Penn State), J. L. Prieto (Princeton), B. J. Shappee, C. S. Kochanek, K. Z. Stanek, J. Jencson, A. Talabere, J. F. Beacom (Ohio State), D. Szczygiel, G. Pojmanski (Warsaw University Observatory), M. Dubberley, M. Elphick, S. Foale, E. Hawkins, D. Mullens, W. Rosing, R. Ross, Z. Walker (Las Cumbres Observatory)
on 2 May 2013; 20:49 UT
Credential Certification: Jose L. Prieto (jose@obs.carnegiescience.edu)

Subjects: Optical, X-ray, AGN, Transient

Following the ASAS-SN discovery of a strong optical outburst and Seyfert type change in the nucleus of NGC 2617 (Shappee et al. 2013, ATel #5010), on UT date 2013-05-01 we obtained Swift TOO observation of this source with the XRT. In a 2 ksec exposure, we obtained 1200 counts, corresponding to an observed flux of 3.1e-11 ergs/cm^2/s (0.2--12 keV). This is significantly higher than the flux in 2007 observed by XMM-Newton of 9.0e-12 ergs/cm^2/s. The Swift X-ray spectrum is consistent with a power-law model with alpha= 0.7 +/- 0.1.

The source was also observed with UVOT, yielding the following magnitudes using a 5" extraction aperture: v= 14.50 +/- 0.03, b= 15.06 +/- 0.04, u= 14.16 +/- 0.04, uvw1= 14.09 +/- 0.04, uvm2= 14.27 +/- 0.04, uvw2= 14.40 +/- 0.04. All UVOT magnitudes have been measured on the Vega system and are uncorrected for extinction.

We thank the Swift TOO team for promptly scheduling and executing these observations.