[vsnet-alert 9903] re var/IC4156

[da55 at Safe-mail.net]

Incidentally, the variable noted in the field of the galaxy IC 4156 on the CBAT unconfirmed objects' page is also a likely QSO confirmed at a similar to the reported 16th mag in CMC14 at a mean epoch (from two observations) within a week or so of the detection date listed at CBAT, totally invisible in 2MASS images from mid to Spring 2000, and mostly around 19th or 20th mag or even less on POSS plates, new and old.

Probably best identified through its FIRST ID

FIRST  J145420.8+162424

which NED doesn't seem to carry, strangely enough, prefering to use it's CLASS ID as primary source.  Whether it is gravitationally lensed or not I am not sure, as I've never really understood whether the CLASS catalogue objects are candidates, confirmed lensings, or what the heck it they are.  It does, of course, lie adjacent to the galaxy IC 4156 on the sky, and NED seems to suggest this is a Galaxy Cluster region (Abell 1983).

About a month after the CBAT unconfirmed site's noted detection, and a coupla weeks or so after the CMC14 confirming but mean epoched observation, SDSS dr 5 listed it as returned to r' 18.5.

http://cas.sdss.org/dr6/en/tools/explore/obj.asp?ra=223.58687&dec=+16.40687

John