3C 454.3

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3C 454.3
3C 454.3 SDSS.png
SDSS image of 3C 454.3
Observation data (Epoch J2000)
Constellation Pegasus
Right ascension 22h 53m 57.7s [1]
Declination +16° 08′ 53.6″ [1]
Redshift 0.859001 ± 0.000170 [1]
Distance 7.7 Gly
Type Blazar/Quasar
Apparent magnitude  (V)16.1 [1]
See also: Quasar, List of quasars

3C 454.3 is a blazar (a type of quasar with a jet oriented toward Earth) located away from the galactic plane. It is one of the brightest gamma ray sources in the sky, [2] and is one of the most luminous astronomical object ever observed, with a maximum absolute magnitude of -31.4. [3] It has the brightest blazar gamma ray flare recorded, twice as bright as the Vela Pulsar in the Milky Way galaxy. It also flares at radio and visible wavelengths – in red light, the blazar brightened by more than 2.5 times to magnitude 13.7 – and it is very bright at high radio frequencies. [4]

Contents

It appears in Pegasus, near Alpha Pegasi (Markab). It has been known to occasionally outburst, brightening to a peak apparent magnitude of 13.4 in June 2014. [5] [6]

It is possible that a binary supermassive black hole might lie in the center of 3C 454.3 based on observations. [7] Additionally, it has a bright radio core and radio jet described as one-sided, with its jet components moving in superluminal motion. [8] [9] An arc-structure has also been detected on parsec-scales around the region of its core. [10]

History

In July and August 2007, 3C 454.3 flared to near-historic levels, only two years after its record-breaking 2005 optical flare. Luckily, Spitzer Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory were already scheduled for simultaneous observations. Swift, RXTE and the new gamma-ray AGILE spacecraft responded to this target of opportunity, and were joined by observatories around the world.

The Fermi Large Area Telescope AGN science group started a multiwavelength campaign for blazar 3C454.3 (2251+158), in July and continuing through August 2007. This Ad Hoc Intensive Campaign (AIC) was prompted by brightening in the radio, optical and X-ray.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "3C 454.3". SIMBAD . Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg . Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Atkinson, Nancy (11 March 2009). "Top Ten Gamma Ray Sources From the Fermi Telescope". Universe Today. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "The most luminous quasar state ever observed". Calar Alto Observatory. Archived from the original on 2015-04-07. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "NASA - Fermi Sees Brightest-Ever Blazar Flare". NASA. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  5. ↑ King, Bob (24 June 2014). "Observing Alert: Distant Blazar 3C 454.3 in Outburst, Visible in Amateur Telescopes". Universe Today. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Light Curve Generator for 3C 454.3". American Association of Variable Star Observers. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  7. ↑ Volvach, A. E.; Volvach, L. N.; Larionov, M. G. (2021-04-01). "Most massive double black hole 3C 454.3 and powerful gravitational wave radiation". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 648: A27. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039124. ISSN   0004-6361.
  8. ↑ Marshall, H. L.; Schwartz, D. A.; Lovell, J. E. J.; Murphy, D. W.; Worrall, D. M. (August 2004). "A Chandra Survey of Quasar Jets: First Results". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. doi:10.1086/425578/fulltext/ . Retrieved 2025-07-03.
  9. ↑ Bach, U.; Raiteri, C. M.; Villata, M.; Fuhrmann, L.; Buemi, C. S.; Larionov, V. M.; Leto, P.; Arkharov, A. A.; Coloma, J. M.; Paola, A. Di; Dolci, M.; Efimova, N.; Forné, E.; Ibrahimov, M. A.; Hagen-Thorn, V. (2007-03-01). "Multi-frequency monitoring of γ-ray loud blazars - I. Light curves and spectral energy distributions" (PDF). Astronomy & Astrophysics. 464 (1): 175–186. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066561. ISSN   0004-6361.
  10. ↑ Britzen, S.; Qian, Shan-Jie; Witzel, A.; Krichbaum, T. P.; Aller, M.; Aller, H.; Kurtanidze, O.; Vercellone, S.; Richter, G. M. (August 2013). "2251+158 (3C 454.3): detection of an arc-like structure on parsec scales". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 557: A37. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220147. ISSN   0004-6361.
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