Swift reports the detection of a new LMC transient source Swift J0549.7-6812
ATel #5286; H. A. Krimm (CRESST/GSFC/USRA), S. D. Barthelmy (GSFC), W. Baumgartner (CRESST/GSFC/UMBC), J. Cummings (CRESST/GSFC/UMBC), N. Gehrels (GSFC), A. Y. Lien (NASA/GSFC/ORAU), C. B. Markwardt (GSFC), D. Palmer (LANL), T. Sakamoto (AGU), M. Stamatikos (OSU/GSFC), T. Ukwatta (MSU)
on 15 Aug 2013; 20:57 UT
Credential Certification: Hans A. Krimm (Hans.Krimm@nasa.gov)
Subjects: X-ray, Black Hole, Neutron Star, Transient, Pulsar
Referred to by ATel #: 5289
The hard X-ray transient monitor of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) has detected a previously unknown transient source. The new source, Swift J0549.7-6812, was first detected by the BAT in a 16-day integration covering the days 2013 July 23 - August 7 (MJD 56496 - 56511) at an average rate of 0.0019 +/- 0.0003 counts/sec/cm2 (9 mCrab) in the 15-50 keV band. It has remained at roughly the same brightness since that time. On 2013 August 15, the rate was 0.0034 +/- 0.002 counts/sec/cm2 (15 mCrab).
The best BAT position is (J2000):
RA = 87.422 Dec = -68.213
RA = 05 49 41.17 Dec = -68 12 45.6
with an estimated error of 3 arc minutes (statistical plus systematic).
This location puts Swift J0549.7-6812 within the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Swift Target of Opportunity observations have been approved. Observations are currently scheduled to begin at 2013 August 16 04:44:00 UT.
Swift/BAT Hard X-ray Transient light curve for Swift J0549.7-6812
