FIRST Observations of the Second-Brightest Quasar

We report the discovery of a new bright quasar PHL 1811 as part of a followupprogram to identify bright quasars in the FIRST radio survey. With B=13.9,R=13.9, and z=0.192, this quasar is now the second brightest quasar (inapparent magnitude) known beyond z=0.1. Optically classified as a Narrow-lineSeyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1), PHL 1811 is unusual for an object in this class inthat it was not detected in X-rays in the ROSAT All Sky survey or in anyprevious X-ray survey. A follow-up BeppoSAX observation confirms that it isdeficient in X-rays compared with other quasars, but poor signal to noiseprevents a definitive characterization of the X-ray spectrum. We consider threealternative hypotheses to explain why PHL 1811 is a weak X-ray source: 1.) itis a BALQSO and suffers X-ray absorption; 2.) like several other luminousNLS1s, it exhibits high amplitude X-ray variability, and has been observed onlywhen it is in an X-ray quiescent state; 3.) it is intrinsically weak because itsimply lacks an X-ray emitting region.Comment: 15 pages including 5 figures; accepted for publication in the AJ (June 2001