QSO HE 0435-5304 redshift solved

We report a spectroscopic redshift measurement of quasar HE 0435-5304. Up to now, this particular quasar had two conflicting values of redshift used in the literature: $1.231$ measured from an optical spectrum by \citet{Wisotzki2000}, and $\sim0.43$ obtained based on ultraviolet spectra by \citet{Stocke2013}. The $z=1.231$ value is more widely used and listed as the "preferred redshift" in the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database and SIMBAD databases. However, combined with photometric multiwavelength measurements, this redshift value makes the HE 0435-5304 host a very extreme and even peculiar galaxy in terms of star formation, as found by \citet{Malek2017}, while at $z \sim 0.43$ HE 0435-5304 remains a fairly typical example of a Luminous Infrared Galaxy. To clarify this issue, we analysed an optical spectrum of HE 0435-5304 obtained by the Robert Stobie Spectrograph at the South African Large Telescope (SALT) as a part of our project to study properties and environments of infrared sources around the South Ecliptic Pole. Based on five clearly identified emission lines we estimated the redshift of this quasar to be $z=0.45$, in agreement with the value reported by \citet{Stocke2013}, and definitely ruling out the ''preferred redshift'' value by \citet{Wisotzki2000}.