The blazar S5 0716+714 at the highest optical flux ever reported.
ATel #6957; R. Bachev, A. Strigachev (IA-NAO, BAS, Bulgaria)
on 19 Jan 2015; 21:26 UT
Credential Certification: Rumen Bachev (bachevr@astro.bas.bg)
The blazar S5 0716+714 was recently reported to be at exceptionally high optical state (ATel#6902, ATel#6942, ATel#6944, ATel#6953). During the nights of 18.01.2015 and 19.01.2015 we observed the object with the 60cm telescope of Belogradchik observatory, Bulgaria. Despite of the mediocre weather conditions we obtained the following optical magnitudes for this object (preliminary data):
18.01.2015, UT ~20:15
B=12.61, V=12.22, R=11.71, I=11.18
19.01.2015, UT ~20:30
B=12.95, V=12.50, R=12.07, I=11.53
The typical measurement and calibration errors were in the order of 0.05 mag. The blazar was brighter in B-band by ~0.5 mag (during the night of 18.01.2015) than what was reported for a ~50 year period (Nesci et al. 2006, Mem.S. A.It.Sup., 9, 325). By far (to the best of our knowledge) these are among the brightest magnitudes for this object ever reported. Further multiwavelength observations are strongly encouraged.
