1411+442

Colour chart A

Credit: SDSS / Size 13´× 13´ / Chart by S. Karge

Colour chart B

This 3´× 3´section from SDSS shows the distorted spiralarm pattern of the quasar host galaxy.

Credit: SDSS / Size 3´× 3´

Colour chart C

Credit: SDSS / Size 13´× 13´ / Chart by S. Karge

Four quasars in the field of PG 1411+442:
CRSS 1413.8+4406, z=0.978, 19^m.1
CRSS 1413.8+4402, z=1.347, 19^m.6
CRSS 1413.4+4358, z=0.950, 20^m.4
CRSS 1414.2+4354, z=1.197, 19^m.9
[Data from Véron-Cetty et al. 2006]

Notes

PG 1411+442 is a bright quasar in north-eastern Bootes, only 2.1° SSW of Lamda (19) Bootis. The designation PG 1411+442 refers to Palomar-Green Bright Quasar Survey (PG), where this object was cataloged as a blue stellar object in 1982. Follow-up spectroscopic investigations revealed a Seyfert 1-spectrum, which led to the quasar classification. Initially, PG 1411+442 was discovered in 1976 as a blue stellar object by the Palomar-Berger Blue Star Survey (PB). As a blue stellar object, it was also detected by the Case University Survey (CSO). High resolution photographs show the quasar at the centre of an inclined spiral galaxy (PGC), which has an apparent diameter of 40". The quasar host shows a distorted spiralarm pattern, with one extended arm pointing to the south (see colour chart B). The distortion of the galaxy disk most probably triggers the quasar activity of the AGN at the centre of the quasar host.

PG 1411+442 is a small amplitude variable object with a total range of less than 1 magnitude. Visual observers need at least an 8- to 10-inch telescope to glimpse this stellar object. Even with large aperture telescopes the quasar remains a stellar object! Tracking down PG 1411+442 is an easy task due to its proximity to Lamda (19) Bootis (2.1° SSE). Heading south from Lamda Boo, another 6.5-mag field star directly points to PG 1411+442 - Voilà, there you are !
CCD observers, as well as visual observers, shall use the comparison stars given above.

____________

Besides PG 1411+442, another two quasars might attract your interest. The first one is bright 14-mag quasar MRK 478, which can be found about 10° SE, at a distance of about 1×10⁹ light-years. The second quasar is PG 1415+451, a 15-mag stellar object just 1° to the NE.
In addition, the surrounding star field of PG 1411+442 offers a by chance aggregation of no less than four faint quasars inside a radius of only 7´, all of them located in the far cosmological background of
PG 1411+442 (see colour chart C).
And finally, some more deep sky showpieces near quasar PG 1411+442 shall not be missed: M101 (10.5° NW), M51 (8.1° W), and M63 (10.7° SW).

Literature

Berger, J., Fringant, A.-M. 1977, A&AS, 28, 123; A search for faint blue stars in high galactic latitudes. I. Nine PSS
fields near the north galactic pole.
Boroson, T.A., Green, R.F. 1992, ApJS, 80, 109; The Emission-Line Properties of Low-Redshift Quasi-Stellar Objects.
Giveon, U., Maoz, D., et al. 1999, MNRAS, 306, 637G; Long-term optical variability properties of the Palomar-Green
quasars.
Hutchings, J.B., McClure, R.D. 1990, PASP, 102, 48; High-resolution optical imaging of three QSOs.
Hutchings, J.B., Neff, S.G. 1992, AJ, 104, 1; Optical imaging of QSOs with 0.5 arcsec resolution.
Hutchings, J.B., Neff, S.G., et al. 1992, PASP, 104, 62; The Structure of the BAL QSO 1700+518.
Karge, S.; Helle Quasare für 8- bis 10-Zoll Teleskope. Ein Beobachtungsführer zur visuellen Beobachtung von Quasaren
   und BL Lacertae Objekten; Frankfurt 2005.
Pennington, R.L., Humphreys, R.M., et al. 1993, PASP, 105, 521; The Automated Plate Scanner Catalog of the Palomar
   Sky Survey. I. Scanning Parameters and Procedures.
Schmidt, M., Green, R. 1983, ApJ, 269, 352; Quasar Evolution derived from the Palomar Bright Quasar Survey and other
   complete Quasar Survey.
Steinicke, W.; Katalog heller Quasare und BL Lacertae Objekte; Umkirch 1998.
Véron-Cetty, M.-P., Véron, P. 2001, A&A 374, 92; A Catalogue of Quasars and Active Nuclei: 10th edition.
Véron-Cetty, M.-P., Véron, P. 2003, A&A 412, 399; A Catalogue of Quasars and Active Nuclei: 11th edition.
Véron-Cetty, M.-P., Véron, P. 2006, A&A 455, 776; A Catalogue of Quasars and Active Nuclei: 12th edition.
Véron-Cetty, M.-P., Véron, P. 2010, A&A 518, 10; A Catalogue of Quasars and Active Nuclei: 13th edition.
Webb, W., Malkan, M. 2000, ApJS, 130, 165; Comparison star sequences for optical photometry of Active Galactic
Nuclei and Quasars.

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Cross-Identifications	PB 1732, PGC 50824, CSO 423, QSO B1411+4414 1RXS J141349.3+440012, 2XMM J141348.3+440014 2MASS J14134834+4400141, 1WGA J1413.8+4400 SDSS J141348.33+440013.9, FBS 1411+442 GALEXASC J141348.39+440013.1, 1411+442
Equat. coordinates	RA 14 13 48.3 DE +44 00 14 (J2000)
Constellation	Bootes
Type	QSO
Redshift	z=0.089
Distance (2) (3)	363 Mpc
Total mag range (mv) (4)	14.4 - 15.0
Catalog Magnitude (1)	14.01
Absolute Magnitude (1)	-24.7 M_B
Light Travel-Time (2)	1.134 × 10⁹ yrs

star	B	V
1	13.481 (0.025)	12.745 (0.026)
2	14.521 (0.016)	13.680 (0.033)
3	15.273 (0.069)	14.322 (0.044)
4	15.554 (0.030)	14.786 (0.043)
5	15.622 (0.036)	14.939 (0.027)
6	16.193 (0.049)	15.331 (0.067)
7	16.400 (0.031)	15.632 (0.037)