Following the discovery of IC 2497 and Hannys Voorwerp, the citizen scientiststaking part in the Galaxy Zoo project have identified a sample of low-redshiftgalaxies with extended AGN-photoionized cloud indicative of a Seyfert-luminosityAGN. We were awarded XMM time in AO-10 to determine whether the AGN with adeficit of infrared luminosity have plausibly shut down during the light traveltime from the nucleus to the cloud; only one source has been observed.XMM-Newton observations of the remaining objects are necessary to measuresignificant AGN variability on previously inaccessible timescales.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2015-11-23T14:46:23Z/2016-02-10T21:52:28Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Peter Maksym, 2017, 'Continued Probing of AGN Variability on 10-100 kyr Timescales', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-nd0xnrg
