A distant quasar in Crater.

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NGC 1365 Australia
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A distant quasar in Crater.

#1

Post by NGC 1365 »


I set up last night, the first decent night in about 2 months. I had no dedicated observing plans, the forecasts between the four weather sites varied from cloudy to clear. The two previous nights were cut short by fog, I only had less than an hour either night. Last night ended being a great night in the end, seeing was poor for the first half but improved later, humidity was high but transparency was still good. I usually have lists of objects I plan to see at the ready for nights like this. One object I've been waiting a while to spot is a relatively newly discovered quasar in Crater, J 1134 -2103. It has a redshift of 2.77, which means a light travel time of roughly 11.5 billion years. It's visual magnitude is 15.65, making it relatively easy for an 18 inch scope. I started by star hopping from Zeta Crater, through to HD100934 and from there negotiating through a few asterisms till I got to the quasar field. The quasar was an easy spot and was held with direct vision constantly. This quasar could probably be spotted with a 12 or 14 inch scope with averted vision. Anyone interested, I've put a few charts to help. ( observation was with an 18 inch F4.5 scope with 12 and 9mm UWA EP's)
Details are-
J 1134-2103
RA 11 34 40.58
Dec -21 03 23.2
Z=2.77 (11.5 GLy's -Kempner CC)
V=15.65
Charts were made by me form Wikisky and CdS Portal.
Constellation map from S&T PSA
The Diamond 1.jpg
The Diamond 4.jpg
The Diamond..jpg
The Diamond 2.jpg
Ivan
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#2

Post by Graeme1858 »


NGC 1365 wrote: Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:07 am It has a redshift of 2.77, which means a light travel time of roughly 11.5 billion years.

Brilliant!

A good read Ivan.

Regards

Graeme
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#3

Post by Juno16 »


What a gem to see!

Kind of scrambles my brain thinking this monster is that far away. Actually ancient history even in space terms!

Excellent catch and fine report Ivan. Thanks!
Jim

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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#4

Post by helicon »


Thanks for the report Ivan and nice catch of the quasar. It's almost time for 3C273 to be prominent from the Northern Hemisphere and I am looking forward to it.
-Michael
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#5

Post by NGC 1365 »


Thank you all for the comments. One correction, I was out last night and had another look and comparing magnitudes, the Quasar is around mag 15.9, fainter than the 15.8 one and brighter than the 16.2 star. The figures quoted in opening post above are incorrect.
Ivan
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#6

Post by Bigzmey »


Nice catch Ivan!
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#7

Post by Michael131313 »


Thanks for the post and all the good info. Loooong ways away
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#8

Post by Makuser »


Hi Ivan. A superb report on your catch of a very distant quasar from the southern hemisphere here. And, I really enjoyed your annotated charts too. As helicon (Michael) said, we should be be getting a glimpse of 3C273 (third Cambridge catalogue object number 273) soon here in the northern hemisphere. Thanks for your excellent report Ivan, and keep looking up.
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#9

Post by NGC 1365 »


Thanks guys, yes the distance and time scales involved are hard to comprehend. The light I saw from this quasar that night had already been travelling for 6 billion or so years before our solar system even existed. I still track down 3c273 when I can, it was the first quasar I observed.
To date, I've tracked down just over a dozen or so, and have a list of another dozen I plan to find when I have the chance.
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#10

Post by kt4hx »


Outstanding Ivan, a well planned and executed hunt! Agreed, the immensity of time and space one experiences when seeing such objects is a heady experience indeed.
Alan

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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#11

Post by NGC 1365 »


Thanks Alan, that is one of the reasons I enjoy tracking down these objects and also the Abell Galaxy clusters, just coming to terms with the nature of these objects is mind boggling.
Ivan
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#12

Post by mikemarotta »


NGC 1365 wrote: Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:07 am... to spot is a relatively newly discovered quasar in Crater, J 1134 -2103. It has a redshift of 2.77, which means a light travel time of roughly 11.5 billion years. It's visual magnitude is 15.65, making it relatively easy for an 18 inch scope. ... probably be spotted with a 12 or 14 inch scope with averted vision. .... an 18 inch F4.5 scope with 12 and 9mm UWA EP's)
Wow and congratulations. I am most impressed that you found it by star-hopping, which is good basic operations.

Also, just to ask: what about the instrument? (Most of us put some of that in the signature, just for reference. Myself, I live at 30N so, there's that, and my telescope is 102mm, so there's that. But all of that being as it may, I have a special interest in the successes of other amateurs, especially at your level because I serve on a committee for the American Astro Soc.)

Best Regards, and Clear Skies.
---------------------------------------
Michael E. Marotta
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#13

Post by helicon »


Congrats @NGC1365 (Ivan) on winning today's VROD for your outstanding (classic) report from last April!
-Michael
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#14

Post by Unitron48 »


Great capture...and congrats on your VROD!

Dave
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#15

Post by John Baars »


Congratulations on the VROD!
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Re: A distant quasar in Crater.

#16

Post by davesellars »


Great report (just realised this was from 2021). Thanks for the information. I'll have to give this a go although with 12" it may have to be an astonishing level of transparency to see down to 15.65. Worth a go though!
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