VVV-WIT-04: an extragalactic variable source caught by the VVV Survey

Journal
Date Issued
2019
Author(s)
Roberto K. Saito
•
Dante Minniti
•
Valentin D. Ivanov
•
•
Maria Gabriela Navarro
•
Roberto Cid Fernandes
•
Daniel Ruschel-Dutra
•
Leigh C. Smith
•
Philip W. Lucas
•
Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez
•
Rodrigo Contreras Ramos
DOI
Abstract
We report the discovery of VVV-WIT-04, a near-infrared variable source towards the Galactic disk located ~0.2 arcsec apart from the position of the radio source PMN J1515-5559. The object was found serendipitously in the near-IR data of the ESO public survey VISTA Variables in the V\'ia L\'actea (VVV). Our analysis is based on variability, multicolor, and proper motion data from VVV and VVV eXtended surveys, complemented with archive data at longer wavelengths. We suggest that VVV-WIT-04 has an extragalactic origin as the near-IR counterpart of PMN J1515-5559. The Ks-band light-curve of VVV-WIT-04 is highly variable and consistent with that of an Optically Violent Variable (OVV) quasar. The variability in the near-IR can be interpreted as the redshifted optical variability. Residuals to the proper motion varies with the magnitude suggesting contamination by a blended source. Alternative scenarios, including a transient event such as a nova or supernova, or even a binary microlensing event are not in agreement with the available data.
Volume
490
Issue
1
Start page
1171
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0035-8711
Rights
open.access
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