Quasars - Optical Variability

This page is once again being updated on a regular (about monthly) basis.

Recent Light Curves
[preliminary reduction of observations
made at Colgate University Foggy Bottom Observatory
with 16-inch telescope and CCD camera]

3C 66A (1998-present, R filter) [updated Oct 31, 2005]
0235+164 (1997-present, R filter) [updated Nov 06, 2005] ****
CTA 26 (1999-present, R filter) [updated Apr 17, 2005]
0420-01 (1996-present, R filter) [updated Sep 11, 2005]
0422+004 (1997-present, R filter) [updated Apr 17, 2005]
0716+714 (2000-present, R filter) [updated Nov 04, 2005]
0735+178 (2001-present, R filter) [updated May 10, 2005]
0736+01 (2000-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
0754+10 (2001-present, R filter) [updated Apr 17, 2005]
OJ 287 (Oct'94-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
OJ 287 (1999.5-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
OJ 287 (2003-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
1156+295 (1995-present, R filter) [updated Jul 29, 2005]
1156+295 (1999-present, R filter) [updated Jul 29, 2005]
3C 273 (2001 Nov - present, R filter) [updated Jul 22, 2005]
3C 279 (1995-present, R filter) [updated Jul 29, 2005]
3C 279 (1999-present, R filter) [updated Jul 29, 2005]
3C 279 (2001-present, R filter) [updated Jul 29, 2005]
3C 279 (2004-present, R filter) [updated Jul 29, 2005]
1308+326 (1995-present, R filter) [updated May 13, 2005]
1308+326 (2001-present, R filter) [updated May 13, 2005]
1418+546 (1996.75-present, R filter) [updated Oct 02, 2005]
1510-08 (1999-present, R filter) [updated Jul 29, 2005]
3C 345 (1996-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C 345 (2000-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C 345 (2002.5-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
1749+09 (1999-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
1959+650 (2004-present, R filter) [updated May 13, 2005]
BL Lacertae (1995-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
BL Lacertae (1999-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
BL Lacertae (Jul'01-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]

{Note: See section "old archival light curves" below for BL Lacertae summer 1997 outburst}

3C 446 (1995-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
CTA 102 (1997-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
CTA 102 (2000-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
CTA 102 (2004-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C454.3: 2005 outburst information

3C 454.3 (1996-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C 454.3 (1996-present, R filter FLUX DENSITY [mJy] [updatedNov 037, 2005]
3C 454.3 (2000.5-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C 454.3 (2002-present, R filter) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C 454.3 image from 2005 May 09
3C 454.3 data [updated 2005 Aug 17, 03:25 UT]
3C 454.3 (2005 May-Aug, RIVB filter - from 3C 454.3 data file) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C 454.3 (2005 May-Aug, RIVB filter [no observer labels] - from 3C 454.3 data file) [updated Nov 03, 2005]
3C 454.3 (2005 May-Aug, R filter FLUX DENSITY [mJy]) [updated Nov 03, 2005]

Magnitude Data Tables

Tabulation of recent magnitude measurements [this file updated to observations made 2005 Jun 21]
older tabulations

Tabulation of magnitude measurements [this file updated to observations made 2002 May 25]
3C 66A (DATA TABLE: Aug'98-Oct'99, R filter) [updated Oct 31, 1999]
OJ 287 (DATA TABLE: fall 1998 - fall 1999, R filter) [updated Dec 19, 1999]
1156+295 (DATA TABLE: Jun'99-Dec'99) [updated Dec 19, 1999]
3C 279 (DATA TABLE: Jun'99-Dec'99, R filter) [updated Dec 19, 1999]
3C 345 (DATA TABLE: Jun'99-Dec'99) [updated Dec 19, 1999]
BL Lacertae (DATA TABLE: Jun'99-Apr'00) [updated Dec 20, 1999]

Old (Archival) Light Curves

OJ 287 (Oct'95-June'96, R filter) [updated June 16, 1996]
1156+295 (Oct'95-July'96, R filter) [updated July 28, 1996]
1156+295 (two year: Mar'95-July'96, R filter) [updated July 28, 1996]
3C 279 (three years: Nov'94-July'97, R filter) [updated August 19, 1997]
3C 279 (two year:Nov'95-July'97, R filter) [updated August 19, 1997]
3C 279 (one year:Nov'96-July'97, R filter) [updated August 19, 1997]
1418+546 (Jan'96-Oct'96, R filter) [updated Oct 12, 1996]
* BL Lacertae: The 1997 summer outburst *

BL Lacertae (OUTBURST ANNOUNCEMENT and info on data) [updated July 25, 1997]
BL Lacertae (two year: Jan'96-Jul'97, R filter) [updated Jul 25, 1997]
BL Lacertae (pre-outburst & outburst: May-Jul'97, R filter) [updated Jul 25, 1997]
BL Lacertae (outburst activity: Jun 23-Jul 23,'97, R filter) [updated Jul 25, 1997]
BL Lacertae (microvariability during outburst period: Jul 10.0-Jul 16.0,'97, R filter) [updated Jul 25, 1997]
BL Lacertae (microvariability during gamma-ray campaign: Jul 15.0-23.5,'97, R filter) [updated Jul 25, 1997]

3C 345 (Feb'96-Sep'96, R filter) [updated Sep 20, 1996]
3C 446 (two year: May'95-Oct '96, R filter) [updated Oct 05, 1996]
3C 454.3 (May'96-Oct'96, R filter) [updated Oct 05, 1996]

Finder Charts / Comparison Stars

I use the following reference for comparison stars:

P.S.Smith et al (1985) AJ, 90, pp 1184-1187 (text) & 1385-1386 (plates 87 - 88).

includes: 0235+164, 0735+178, 0736+017, 0754+101, OJ 287, 1156+295, 3C 273, 1308+326, 1418+546, 3C 345, BL Lac, 3C 446

P.S.Smith and T.J.Balonek, "Photometric calibration of stars in the fields of selected BL Lacertae objects and quasars" (1998) PASP, to be published in 1998 October.

text
Table1(positions of sources)
Table2(UBVRI comparison star listings)
Table3(comparison with previous studies)
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c

Includes: 3C 66A, CTA 26, 0420-014, 0422+004, 0716+332, 0829+046, 3C 216, 3C 279, 1510-089, 1749+096, OV -236 (1921-29), 3C 454.3, 2345-167

1156+295 comparison stars [updated Mar 19, 1998]
3C 279 comparison stars [updated Jan 24, 1996]
3C 279 finder chart (retrieved from another site) [updated Jan 24, 1996]
BL Lacertae comparison stars [updated Aug 15, 1997]
CTA 102 comparison stars [updated July 23, 1997]

Links

Other quasar monitoring programs, including finder charts / comparison star sequencess

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Please contact: tbalonek-AT-mail.colgate.edu for questions, comments, ...

Last modified: August 18, 2006