The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135: Is it within or behind a spiral galaxy?

John T. Stocke; Ron Wurtz; Qingde Wang; Richard Elston; Buell T. Jannuzi

doi:10.1086/186638

The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135: Is it within or behind a spiral galaxy?

John T. Stocke, Ron Wurtz, Qingde Wang, Richard Elston, Buell T. Jannuzi

Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

New observations of the very red quasar or BL Lac object PKS 1413+135 are presented. Optical imaging and spectroscopy confirm the claim that the host galaxy to this BL Lac is a spiral, and H-band imaging shows the point source centered in the galaxy to within 0″.1 A reanalysis of Einstein X-ray data finds evidence for an extremely large column density in this source of n(H) ≥ 2 × 10²² cm². The A_v ≥ 30 mag suggested by this n(H) can produce the unusual near-IR exponential decline in the spectrum of PKS 1413+135, at variance with previous interpretations. While the astrometric evidence supports the hypothesis that PKS 1413+135 is the very unusual case of a BL Lac object in a spiral galaxy, a highly extincted nuclear source would produce other observable features in this galaxy that are not observed: narrow emission-line region and large thermal IR flux. Their absence argues for this source being background to the spiral.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L17-L20
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	400
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/186638
State	Published - Nov 20 1992

Keywords

BL Lacertae objects: general
Galaxies: ISM
Gravitational lensing
Polarization
X-rays: galaxies

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/186638

Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135: Is it within or behind a spiral galaxy?'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

Stocke, J. T., Wurtz, R., Wang, Q., Elston, R., & Jannuzi, B. T. (1992). The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135: Is it within or behind a spiral galaxy? Astrophysical Journal, 400(1 PART 2), L17-L20. https://doi.org/10.1086/186638

@article{cdf00cfb8d774385b0491afe65a0a5ff,

title = "The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135: Is it within or behind a spiral galaxy?",

abstract = "New observations of the very red quasar or BL Lac object PKS 1413+135 are presented. Optical imaging and spectroscopy confirm the claim that the host galaxy to this BL Lac is a spiral, and H-band imaging shows the point source centered in the galaxy to within 0″.1 A reanalysis of Einstein X-ray data finds evidence for an extremely large column density in this source of n(H) ≥ 2 × 1022 cm2. The Av ≥ 30 mag suggested by this n(H) can produce the unusual near-IR exponential decline in the spectrum of PKS 1413+135, at variance with previous interpretations. While the astrometric evidence supports the hypothesis that PKS 1413+135 is the very unusual case of a BL Lac object in a spiral galaxy, a highly extincted nuclear source would produce other observable features in this galaxy that are not observed: narrow emission-line region and large thermal IR flux. Their absence argues for this source being background to the spiral.",

keywords = "BL Lacertae objects: general, Galaxies: ISM, Gravitational lensing, Polarization, X-rays: galaxies",

author = "Stocke, {John T.} and Ron Wurtz and Qingde Wang and Richard Elston and Jannuzi, {Buell T.}",

year = "1992",

month = nov,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1086/186638",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "400",

pages = "L17--L20",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "1 PART 2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135

T2 - Is it within or behind a spiral galaxy?

AU - Stocke, John T.

AU - Wurtz, Ron

AU - Wang, Qingde

AU - Elston, Richard

AU - Jannuzi, Buell T.

PY - 1992/11/20

Y1 - 1992/11/20

N2 - New observations of the very red quasar or BL Lac object PKS 1413+135 are presented. Optical imaging and spectroscopy confirm the claim that the host galaxy to this BL Lac is a spiral, and H-band imaging shows the point source centered in the galaxy to within 0″.1 A reanalysis of Einstein X-ray data finds evidence for an extremely large column density in this source of n(H) ≥ 2 × 1022 cm2. The Av ≥ 30 mag suggested by this n(H) can produce the unusual near-IR exponential decline in the spectrum of PKS 1413+135, at variance with previous interpretations. While the astrometric evidence supports the hypothesis that PKS 1413+135 is the very unusual case of a BL Lac object in a spiral galaxy, a highly extincted nuclear source would produce other observable features in this galaxy that are not observed: narrow emission-line region and large thermal IR flux. Their absence argues for this source being background to the spiral.

AB - New observations of the very red quasar or BL Lac object PKS 1413+135 are presented. Optical imaging and spectroscopy confirm the claim that the host galaxy to this BL Lac is a spiral, and H-band imaging shows the point source centered in the galaxy to within 0″.1 A reanalysis of Einstein X-ray data finds evidence for an extremely large column density in this source of n(H) ≥ 2 × 1022 cm2. The Av ≥ 30 mag suggested by this n(H) can produce the unusual near-IR exponential decline in the spectrum of PKS 1413+135, at variance with previous interpretations. While the astrometric evidence supports the hypothesis that PKS 1413+135 is the very unusual case of a BL Lac object in a spiral galaxy, a highly extincted nuclear source would produce other observable features in this galaxy that are not observed: narrow emission-line region and large thermal IR flux. Their absence argues for this source being background to the spiral.

KW - BL Lacertae objects: general

KW - Galaxies: ISM

KW - Gravitational lensing

KW - Polarization

KW - X-rays: galaxies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=11944252983&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=11944252983&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/186638

DO - 10.1086/186638

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:11944252983

VL - 400

SP - L17-L20

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

SN - 0004-637X

IS - 1 PART 2

ER -