Variability of the Blazar BL Lac in 2001

Details Variability of the Blazar BL Lac in 2001 Variability of the Blazar BL Lac in 2001

Jun 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002aas...200.9706b&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, 200th AAS Meeting, #97.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 34, p.957

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Scientific paper

BL Lacertae (z=0.0686) is the archetype of a class of active galactic nuclei known as BL Lacertae objects. BL Lacertae objects are a branch of the class of objects known as blazars, and BL Lac is one of the best-observed blazars. It exhibits large amplitude (> 1 mag) variability at optical wavelengths over years, months, and weeks. In the last few years, BL Lac has returned to a highly active state, and a concerted effort is being made to discern the mechanism(s) responsible for this high-degree of variability. To do this many observatories have begun to monitor BL Lacertae regularly in an attempt to measure the light curve 24-hours per day in a collaboration called the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT). To date the WEBT results show an approximately 7-hour time scale for short outbursts and suggest a measurable distinction between spectral changes during low-brightness and out-burst phases. Western Kentucky University's Bell Astrophysical Observatory began regularly monitoring BL Lacertae in the latter half of 2001 with our newly refurbished 0.6meter telescope. We present an R-band light curve derived from photometric CCD observations covering the monitoring period. Generally, the light curve ranges between R=13.6-14.4, which is similar to the range measured by WEBT observers during the low-brightness phase in 2000. In addition to the long-term light curve, we present R-band microvariability light curves derived from persistent monitoring over 2 different nights during the same period. These show monotonic changes in R-band brightness of up 0.25 magnitudes over 3 hours. We gratefully acknowledge NASA for funding this research through grant NAG5-8762, and Western Kentucky University for funds provided through the Applied Research and Technology Program of Distinction.

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