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We have studied the nuclear region of the previously detected dual AGN system in the galaxy pair IRAS 05589 + 2828 and 2MASX J06021107 + 2828382, through new optical spectroscopy observations, along with radio and X-ray archival data. Our multiwavelength data strongly suggest that the Sy1 IRAS 05589+2828  (z = 0.0330 ± 0.0002) conforms to a dual AGN system with the Sy2 2MASX J06021107 + 2828382  (z = 0.0334 ± 0.0001), with a projected separation obtained from the radio data of 20.08 arcsec  (∼13.3 kpc). Analysis of the optical spectra reveals a faint narrow extended emission from H α and [O iii ] amidst the two AGN, supporting evidence for an ongoing merger. IRAS 05589 + 2828  is a double component narrow emission-line AGN, with complex broad Balmer emission line profiles that clearly show a strong red-peaklet with a velocity shift of ∼3500  km s−1. The black hole mass estimates of IRAS  05589 + 2828  and 2MASX J06021107 + 2828382  are log M |$\rm _{BH}$|   =  8.59 ± 0.14 (M⊙) and log M |$\rm _{BH}$| = 8.21 ± 0.2 (M⊙), respectively. In the X-ray bands, IRAS 05589 + 2828  is compatible with a Type 1 object, showing both spectral and flux variability. Chandra   data of 2MASX J06021107 + 2828382 allowed us to measure a high hardness ratio in this source, providing evidence for a Type 2 AGN. The 22 GHz image obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array has revealed that both AGN are compact radio objects with spectral indices −0.26 ± 0.03 and −0.70 ± 0.11, confirming for the first time its dual AGN nature in the radio bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fourth Fermi Large Area Telescope Source Catalog (4FGL) lists over 5000 γ -ray sources with statistical significance above 4 σ . About 23% of the sources listed in this catalog are unidentified/unassociated γ -ray sources while ∼26% of the sources are classified as blazar candidates of uncertain type (BCUs), lacking optical spectroscopic information. To probe the blazar nature of candidate counterparts of UGSs and BCUs, we started our optical spectroscopic follow up campaign in 2012, which up to date account for more than 350 observed sources. In this paper, the tenth of our campaign, we report on the spectroscopic observations of 37 sources, mostly BCUs, whose observations were carried out predominantly at the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional San Pedro Mártir and the Southern Astrophysical Research Observatory between August 2018 and September 2019. We confirm the BL Lac nature of 27 sources and the flat spectrum radio quasar nature of three sources. The remaining ones are classified as six BL Lacs galaxy-dominated and one normal galaxy. We were also able to measure the redshifts for 20 sources, including 10 BL Lacs. As in previous analyses, the largest fraction of BCUs revealed to be BL Lac objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searching for low energy counterparts of $\gamma $ -rays sources is one of the major challenges in modern $\gamma $ -ray astronomy. In the third Fermi source catalog about 30% of detected sources are unidentified/unassociated Gamma-ray Sources (UGSs). We recently started an optical spectroscopic follow up campaign to confirm the blazar-like nature of candidates counterparts of UGSs. Here we report the spectra of 61 targets collected with the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR) between 2014 and the 2017. Our sample includes 33 potential counterparts of UGSs, selected on the basis of WISE colors, and 27 blazar candidates of uncertain type associated with gamma-ray sources of the last release of the Fermi catalog. We confirm the BZB nature of 20 sources lying within the positional uncertainty region of the UGSs. All the observed BCUs show blazar-like spectra, classified as 2 BZQs and 25 BZBs, for which we obtained 6 redshift estimates. Within the BCUs observations we report the redshift estimate for the BZB associated with, 3FGL J1106.4-3643 that is the second most distant BL Lac known to date, at $z \geq 1.084$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the nature of 50 hard X-ray emitting objects unveiled through an optical spectroscopy campaign performed at seven telescopes in the northern and southern hemispheres. These objects were detected with the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) instrument onboard the Swift satellite and listed as of unidentified nature in the 54-month Palermo BAT catalogue. In detail, 45 sources in our sample are identified as active galactic nuclei of which, 27 are classified as type 1 (with broad and narrow emission lines) and 18 are classified as type 2 (with only narrow emission lines). Among the broad-line emission objects, one is a type 1 high-redshift quasistellar object, and among the narrow-line emission objects, one is a starburst galaxy, one is a X-ray bright optically normal galaxy, and one is a low ionization nuclear emission line region. We report 30 new redshift measurements, 13 confirmations and 2 more accurate redshift values. The remaining five objects are galactic sources: three are Cataclismic Variables, one is a X-ray Binary probably with a low mass secondary star, and one is an active star. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through an optical campaign performed at four telescopes located in the northern and southern hemispheres, we have obtained optical spectroscopy for 75 counterparts of unclassified or poorly studied hard X-ray emitting objects detected with Swift/BAT and listed in the 54-month Palermo BAT catalogue. All these objects also have observations taken with the Swift/XRT, ROSAT, or Chandra satellites, which allowed us to reduce the high-energy error box and pinpoint the most likely optical counterpart(s). We found that 69 sources in our sample are active galactic nuclei (AGNs) of which, 35 are classified as type 1 (with broad and narrow emission lines), 33 are classified as type 2 (with only narrow emission lines), and one is a high-redshift quasi-stellar object; the remaining 6 objects are galactic cataclysmic variables. Of the type 1 AGNs, 32 are objects of intermediate Seyfert type (1.2-1.9) and one is narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy; for 29 of the 35 type 1 AGNs, we have been able to estimate the central black hole mass and the Eddington ratio. Of the type 2 AGNs, two display optical features typical of the low-ionization nuclear emission-line region class, three are classified as transition objects, one is a starburst galaxy, and two are X-ray bright, optically normal galaxies. All galaxies classified in this work are relatively nearby objects (0.006-0.213) except for one at redshift 1.137. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical spectroscopic followup of 27 sources belonging to a sample of 30 high-energy objects selected by positionally cross correlating the first Fermi/LAT Catalog and the ROSAT All-Sky Survey Bright Source Catalog is presented here. It has been found or confirmed that 25 of them are BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs), while the remaining two are Galactic cataclysmic variables (CVs). This strongly suggests that the sources in the first group are responsible for the GeV emission detected with Fermi, while the two CVs most likely represent spurious associations. We thus find an 80% a posteriori probability that the sources selected by matching GeV and X-ray catalogs belong to the BL Lac class. We also show suggestions that the BL Lacs selected with this approach are probably high-synchrotron-peaked sources and in turn good candidates for the detection of ultra-high-energy (TeV) photons from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the framework of our program (running since 2004) of identification of hard X-ray INTEGRAL sources through optical spectroscopy, we present the results concerning the nature of 33 high-energy objects. The data were acquired with the use of six telescopes of different sizes and from one on-line archive. The results indicate that the majority of these objects (23 out of 33) are active galactic nuclei (AGNs), whereas 10 are sources in the local Universe with eight of which in the Galaxy and two in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Among the identified AGNs, 13 are of Type 1 (i.e., with broad emission lines), eight are of Type 2 (with narrow emissions only), and two are X-ray bright, optically normal galaxies with no apparent nuclear activity in the optical. Six of these AGNs lie at high redshift (z > 0.5). Concerning local objects, we found that five of them are Galactic cataclysmic variables, three are high-mass X-ray binaries (two of which lying in the SMC), one is a low-mass X-ray binary, and one is classified as a flare star that is likely of RS CVn type. The main optical properties and inferred physical characteristics of these sources are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The third Fermi source catalog lists 3033 γ-ray sources above 4σ significance. More than 30% are classified as either unidentified/unassociated Gamma-ray sources (UGSs), with about 20% classified as Blazar candidates of uncertain types (BCUs). To confirm the blazar-like nature of candidate counterparts of UGSs and BCUs, we started in 2012 an optical spectroscopic follow up campaign. We report here the spectra of 36 targets with observations from the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional San Pedro Mártir, the Southern Astrophysical Research Observatory, the Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Northern Optical Telescope, between 2016 and 2017. We confirm the BL Lac nature of 23 sources, and the flat spectrum radio quasar nature of other 7 ones. We also provide redshift estimates for 19 out of these 30 confirmations, with only one being a lower limit due to spectral features ascribable to intervening systems along the line of sight. As in previous analyses, the largest fraction of now-classified BCUs belong to the class of BL Lac objects, that appear to be the most elusive class of active galactic nuclei. One of the BL Lacs identified in this work, associated with 3FGL J2213.6-4755, lies at a redshift of z>1.529, making it one of the few distant gamma-ray BL Lac objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]