Open AccessDiscovery of a new high‐redshift QSO at z = 5.96 with the Subaru Telescope ★
Author(s) -
Goto Tomotsugu
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10702.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , redshift , subaru telescope , quasar , spectrograph , astronomy , emission spectrum , telescope , spectral line , galaxy
We report the discovery of a new high‐redshift quasar at z = 5.96 , observed with the long‐slit Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph on board the Subaru Telescope. The spectrum shows strong and broad Lyα+ N v emission lines with a sharp discontinuity to the blue side. A Lyβ+ O vi emission line is also detected, providing a consistent redshift measurement with the Lyα+ N v emission. The quasi‐stellar object (QSO) has an absolute magnitude of M AB,1450 =−26.9 ( H 0 = 50 km s −1 Mpc −1 , q 0 = 0.5) . The spectrum shows significant flux in the region 8000–8300 Å and thus does not show a complete Gunn–Peterson trough in the redshift range 5.58–5.82, along the line of sight to this z = 5.96 QSO . Therefore, the Universe was already highly ionized at z = 5.82 .