Abstract
We present the discovery of the first high-redshift (z > 5.7) quasar from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1 (Pan-STARRS1 or PS1). This quasar was initially detected as an i P1 dropout in PS1, confirmed photometrically with the SAO Wide-field InfraRed Camera at Arizona's Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) and the Gamma-Ray Burst Optical/Near-Infrared Detector at the MPG 2.2m telescope in La Silla. The quasar was verified spectroscopically with the MMT Spectrograph, Red Channel and the Cassegrain Twin Spectrograph at the Calar Alto 3.5m telescope. Its near-infrared spectrum was taken at the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory (LBT) with the LBT Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Utility with Camera and Integral Field Unit for Extragalactic Research. It has a redshift of 5.73, an AB z P1 magnitude of 19.4, a luminosity of 3.8 × 10 47ergs -1, and a black hole mass of 6.9 × 10 9 M .It is a broad absorption line quasar with a prominent Lyβ peak and a very blue continuum spectrum. This quasar is the first result from the PS1 high-redshift quasar search that is projected to discover more than 100i P1 dropout quasars and could potentially find more than 10 z P1 dropout (z > 6.8) quasars.
Original language | English (US) |
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Journal | Astronomical Journal |
Volume | 143 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2012 |
Keywords
- early Universe
- quasars: individual (PSO J215.1512-16.0417)
- surveys
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science