astronomy

PKS 1614+051

PKS 1614+051 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 1614+051 rather than just read about it. In short: PKS 1614+051 is a distant quasar located in the constellation of Hercules. The redshift for this object is (z) 3.21 and it was first identified by astronomers in 1983.

Key takeaways

PKS 1614+051 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 1614+051 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PKS 1614+051 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

PKS 1614+051 is a distant quasar located in the constellation of Hercules. The redshift for this object is (z) 3.21 and it was first identified by astronomers in 1983. It is classified as a radio-loud quasar and contains a radio spectrum that appears as flat. It is also referred as a high frequency peaker and a gigahertz peaked-spectrum source, making it one of the most powerful sources known.

Description PKS 1614+051 is variable on the electromagnetic spectrum. When shown on a multi-wavelength light curve, the object displays flux density variations usually slow, with one flaring period which was detected at 5–22 GHz frequencies and started towards the end of 2009. At 37 GHz, PKS 1614+051 showed a flare in January 2014 and several faint localized flares detected in 2009, 2020 and 2022. Observations also showed it has a low variability level of 0.02 and a short variability time of 12 days. The structure of PKS 1614+051 is compact. When detected in radio imaging, the source is found to have double morphology, consisting of an inverted spectrum radio core and a secondary component which is located 0.8 arcseconds away from it at a position angle of -30°. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations conducted in 1992, found an elongated beam in the structure, orientated at -11°. This suggests the structure might be aligned together with its arc-scale structure. When imaged by Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at 8.4 GHz, the source shows a bright north component and a slightly resolved structure located south-west. Polarization was also detected in several components inside the core region. Two Faraday components were detected in PKS 1614+051 with rotation measures (RM) of 2100 rad m−2 and 500 rad m−2. These suggested two reasons; either they are associated with two foreground layers (depolarization by RM gradients or through external beam depolarization) or by two inner layers which emit radiation and rotate at same time intervals, via two synchrotron components present in the quasar's radio spectrum.

Companion galaxy A narrow emission line object was discovered close to PKS 1614+051 at redshift (z) 3.218 in 1985. Based on spectroscopy and photometry studies, the object was found not a separate quasar nor a gravitational lensed image, but a mildly active galaxy of either LINER or Type 2 seyfert, proposed by S. Djorgovski. Named 1614+051A, the galaxy is described to be radio-quiet and shows detections of doubly ionized oxygen and Hydrogen beta emission. Ground-based observations suggested the galaxy might be interacting with PKS 1614+051. A detection of a 50 kiloparsec Lyman-alpha gas bridge between it and the quasar by Multi-Object Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) would later confirm this theory. Evidence also points out that the gas is extending towards two other companion galaxies, suggesting the interaction is not affecting only the main companion galaxy.

References

External links PKS 1614+051 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images PKS 1614+051 on SIMBAD

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PKS 1614+051

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PKS 1614+051 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 1614+051 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 1614+051 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 1614+051

In research: PKS 1614+051 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 1614+051 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 1614+051 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Active galaxies, Astronomical objects discovered in 1982, Blazars, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PKS 1614+051 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.

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How to study PKS 1614+051 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PKS 1614+051 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 1614+051 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PKS 1614+051 in simple terms?

PKS 1614+051 is a distant quasar located in the constellation of Hercules. The redshift for this object is (z) 3.21 and it was first identified by astronomers in 1983.

Why does PKS 1614+051 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 1614+051?

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 1614+051.