3C 273 is a quasar. it lies at the centre of a 16th magnitude elliptical galaxy in the constellation of Virgo. It has a visual magnitude of 13.
Information[]
This quasar is also the nearest active quasar to Earth at a distance of 2.5 billion light years. It has also proven to be one of the most luminous quasars with an absolute magnitude of −26.7. All other quasars are normally below 14th magnitude, but some can have brighter outbursts such as 3C 273.
The name of 3C 273 indicates that it belongs as the 273rd entry in the Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources published in 1959. Eventually, accurate positions were acquired and the radio source was promptly associated with an optical equivalent as an unresolved stellar object. Now it is known that this radio source and several others were eventually identified as quasars. Beforehand they were seen as misidentified variable stars. 3C 273 was the first astronomical object to be identified as a quasar, an extremely luminous object at a large-scale distance
The quasar has a large scale visible jet which measures over 200 kly long with an apparent size of 23 arcseconds.
Observation[]
3C 273 is best viewed in May for both the northern and southern hemispheres. Situated in the constellation of Virgo, It is bright enough to be observed with larger amateur telescopes. For many amateur astronomers, it is the most distant object they will observe.