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

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

42 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
Externally published	Yes

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

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@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",

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journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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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

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