astronomy

QSO B0738+313

QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313 rather than just read about it. In short: QSO B0738+313 or B2 0738+313, is a quasar located in the constellation of Gemini. It has a redshift of (z) 0.630 and it was first discovered as an astronomical radio source in 1968 by astronomers who designated it as OI 363.

Key takeaways

QSO B0738+313 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect QSO B0738+313 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of QSO B0738+313 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

QSO B0738+313 or B2 0738+313, is a quasar located in the constellation of Gemini. It has a redshift of (z) 0.630 and it was first discovered as an astronomical radio source in 1968 by astronomers who designated it as OI 363. The object has a radio spectrum appearing as flat making it a flat-spectrum radio quasar but also a gigahertz-peaked spectrum source.

Description QSO B0738+313 is classified as a core-dominated radio-loud quasar with an X-ray luminosity of L0.1-10 KeV ~ 45 erg s−1. However, the polarization level of the object is low. When observed by astronomers during R-band monitoring for four nights, its light curve was described as clear and almost sinusoidal with a few variations occurring on 21 January and 22 December 2006. In its spectrum, the quasar displays two dampened Lyman-alpha absorption-line systems located at redshifts of (z) 0.0912 and (z) 0.2212, making these the lowest known absorption-line systems of its kind. Two other faint companions were found, although not relating to the quasar. The quasar has a compact radio structure. When imaged with the Very Long Baseline Array at 15 GHz, it has two strong components. The first component is found weakly polarized at 0.5% with an inverted spectrum, while the other is polarized by around 1.5%. There are also weak and diffused radio lobes on each side of a much stronger radio component. Very Long Baseline Interferometry imaging at six centimeters showed the structure has an unresolved radio core, a small surface brightness radio emission surrounding the source and a jet located in north-south which extends by 5 milliarcseconds. This jet also displays a sharp bend at 45° towards the south-west direction with a knot at its bend.

X-ray jet An X-ray jet was discovered in QSO B0738+313 by Chandra X-ray observatory in March 2003. Based on results, the X-ray jet has an extent of 200 kiloparsecs and is narrow. Observations also showed the X-ray jet is curving as well, which then follows the path of a radio structure south of the quasar and terminating at a hotspot located within the southernmost part of a radio lobe. As it moves further from the core, the jet emission becomes fainter. Astronomers found the X-ray emission is centered strongly towards the jet's direction, 3.8 arcseconds south from the radio core suggesting location of innermost components of the jet.

References

External links QSO B0738+313 on SIMBAD

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with QSO B0738+313

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313

In research: QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313 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: QSO B0738+313 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Active galaxies, Astronomical objects discovered in 1968, Gemini (constellation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is QSO B0738+313 in simple terms?

Why does QSO B0738+313 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 QSO B0738+313?

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 QSO B0738+313.