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A Model of the Quasi-stellar Radio Variable CTA 102

Nature volume 207, pages 738–740 (1965)Cite this article

Abstract

ACCORDING to Sholomitsky1, the quasi-stellar2 radio source CTA 102 (ref. 3) has a variable flux density at 32.5 cm, the period being about 100 days. Sholomitsky takes this to mean that the source cannot be larger than ∼ 0.1 parsec, which is the distance light travels in one period. Since its angular diameter is not less than about 0.01 sec4,5, he concludes that it must be closer than 2 Mpc, and is possibly inside our own Galaxy. However, Schmidt6 has recently announced that the optical object identified with CTA 102 has a red shift z = δλ/λ of 1.037, and so is probably at a distance comparable with the radius of the universe (∼ 3,000 Mpc).

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge,

    M. J. REES & D. W. SCIAMA

Authors
  1. M. J. REES
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  2. D. W. SCIAMA
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REES, M., SCIAMA, D. A Model of the Quasi-stellar Radio Variable CTA 102. Nature 207, 738–740 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/207738a0

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