Quasars aligned across NGC 3384.
Abstract
Arp (1979) discovered a linear distribution of UV-excess objects near the triple galaxy system NGC 3379/3384/3389, and four of these objects have been identified as quasars with very similar redshifts. This paper presents results of systematic spectroscopic observations of a 0.77-sq deg field around the triple galaxy system. These results confirm the original similar redshifts of the four quasars, reveal two more quasars with nearly the same redshift as the original four, and indicate that the quasars are closely aligned across NGC 3384. Combined with a visual search of a complete 20.9-sq deg plate, the spectroscopic results provide good independent agreement with previous determinations of quasar densities in other regions of the sky. This agreement is interpreted as evidence that quasars are not significantly more densely distributed on the sky than previous measurements indicate and that previously discovered associations of quasars with galaxies are very unlikely to be chance associations of background quasars
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- April 1979
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1979ApJ...229..489A
- Keywords:
-
- Galactic Clusters;
- Quasars;
- Star Distribution;
- Red Shift;
- Stellar Magnitude;
- Stellar Spectra;
- Ultraviolet Astronomy;
- Astronomy