Photometric Monitoring of MCG–06-30-15
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: We describe photometric monitoring of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG–06-30-15 with the Las Cumbres Observatory network. Using the V filter, 496 images were collected between 2023 December and 2024 June from observatories in Chile, South Africa, and Australia. We created light curves of the active galactic nucleus continuum emission using aperture photometry and image subtraction methods. We find that the typical magnitude difference between the two light curves is ΔV ≈ 1.9 mag, indicating that the host galaxy contributes approximately 85% of the total flux through the photometric aperture. The amplitude of variation is significantly enhanced when the host galaxy is removed: ΔV = 0.1 mag from aperture photometry compared to ΔV = 0.5 mag with image subtraction. Future work will compare the continuum light curve with the broad emission-line flux variations to provide insight into the physical parameters of the broad-line region in MCG–06-30-15 and the mass of the central supermassive black hole.
Source: Research Notes of the AAS
Authors: Ben Tipton, Misty C. Bentz
Institution: Georgia State University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4409490035