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.