Multiband Photometry of the Blazar PKS 0537-441: A Major Active State in December 2004 - March 2005

Abstract

Multiband VRIJHK photometry of the Blazar PKS 0537-441 obtained with the REM telescope from December 2004 to March 2005 is presented. A major period of activity is found with more than four magnitudes variability in the V filter in 50 days and of 2.5 in 10 days. In intensity and duration the activity is similar to that of 1972 reported by Eggen (1973), but it is much better documented. No clear evidence of variability on time-scale of minutes is found. The spectral energy distribution is roughly described by a power-law, with the weaker state being the softer.

arXiv comment4 pages, 3 figures, A&A letters, in press

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• Blazars at the Cosmic Dawn
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• Simultaneous multi-frequency observation of the unknown redshift blazar PG 1553+113 in March-April 2008
• REM near-IR and optical multiband observations of PKS2155-304 in 2005
• Optical and infrared photometry of the blazar PKS0537-441
• Simultaneous Swift and REM monitoring of the blazar PKS0537-441 in 2005