astronomy

PKS 1610−771

PKS 1610−771 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand PKS 1610−771 rather than just read about it. In short: PKS 1610−771 is a quasar located in the southern constellation of Apus. Its redshift is (z) 1.710 and it was first discovered by the Molongo Radio Telescope in 1972.

Key takeaways

PKS 1610−771 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect PKS 1610−771 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PKS 1610−771 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

PKS 1610−771 is a quasar located in the southern constellation of Apus. Its redshift is (z) 1.710 and it was first discovered by the Molongo Radio Telescope in 1972. This object is known to be radio-loud and has a radio spectrum, appearing as flat, making it a flat-spectrum radio quasar.

Description PKS 1610−771 is found to be a highly reddened quasar with an estimated R-K band color index of 3.1. Its spectrum is found to have an unusual convex shape. Although it is not gravitationally lensed, the object has fuzzy elongations in the north and south directions. Evidence points out these elongations are orientated perpendicular to the object's polarization angle indicating they might be related to the quasar. The radio structure of PKS 1610−771 is found compact. It has an elongated radio core along the position angle of 35° with a flux density of 5.4 Jy. There is also a circular halo, measuring a size of 50 milliarcseconds. When shown on radio imaging during the Very Long Baseline Interferometry Observatory Programme at 8.4 GHz, the source is found resolved into two compact components with their separations showing proper motions of 0.19 ± 0.07 milliarcseconds per year. In the north to west direction, there is a jet extending 5 milliarcseconds from the core, containing bright jet knots. Diffused radio emission can also be seen north of the source. PKS 1610−771 is shown to display signs of interstellar scintillation at low radio frequencies on a timescale of 400 days. A rapid change of flux density was also noted in the quasar, during the four day observation with its peak-to-peak amplitude of 40% and intensity parameter of 0.44 Jy. PKS 1610−771 has high degree of optical linear polarization. When observed by Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), it is found to have several polarized components inside the inner jet regions with the strongest component having a rotation measure of +107.1 ± 0.2 rad m−2. Its polarized flux density is described having monthly changes. H I absorption has also been detected towards the quasar's spectrum at a redshift of (z) 0.45.

References

External links PKS 1610−771 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images PKS 1610−771 on SIMBAD

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PKS 1610−771

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PKS 1610−771 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to PKS 1610−771 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about PKS 1610−771 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of PKS 1610−771

In research: PKS 1610−771 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses PKS 1610−771 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: PKS 1610−771 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Active galaxies, Apus, Astronomical objects discovered in 1972, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PKS 1610−771 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “PKS 1610−771” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study PKS 1610−771 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PKS 1610−771 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain PKS 1610−771 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PKS 1610−771 in simple terms?

PKS 1610−771 is a quasar located in the southern constellation of Apus. Its redshift is (z) 1.710 and it was first discovered by the Molongo Radio Telescope in 1972.

Why does PKS 1610−771 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study PKS 1610−771?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on PKS 1610−771.