A Hidden Broad-Line Region in the Weak Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 788

We have detected a broad Hα emission line in the polarized flux spectrum of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 788, indicating that it contains an obscured Seyfert 1 nucleus. Although such features have been observed in ~15 other Seyfert 2 galaxies, this example is unusual because it has a higher fraction of galaxy starlight in its spectrum, a lower average measured polarization, and a significantly lower radio luminosity than other hidden Seyfert 1 galaxies discovered to date. This demonstrates that polarized broad-line regions can be detected in relatively weak classical Seyfert 2 galaxies and illustrates why well-defined, reasonably complete spectropolarimetric surveys at Hα are necessary in order to assess whether or not all Seyfert 2 galaxies are obscured Seyfert 1 galaxies.