The BL Lac Object PKS 0537-441: A Lens or Being Lensed?

摘要

We present and discuss deep high resolution images taken with the ESO NTT as well as spectra taken with the ESO VLT in the field of the BL Lac object PKS 0537 441. We could neither detect the host galaxy nor a galaxy along the line of sight to the BL Lac as claimed from previous observations. We found 4 nearby companion galaxies which could be a splitted and magnified image of a distant background galaxy. Our VLT spectra, however, rule out this possibility. All 4 companions have similar redshifts as the BL Lac and may (at least in part) trigger the enormous activity in this source. PKS 0537 441 might be located in a galaxy cluster as rich as Abell 1. Alternatively, the BL Lac could also be located in the outskirts of a galaxy cluster or even be projected on a large scale structure as indicated by spectra of 30 galaxies in the field. Either lensing hypothesis (lens or being lensed) is considerably weakened by our observations.