Title:

The Blue Quasar Conspiracy: Maybe We Need a Recount



R.H. Becker 
Univ of Calif - Davis and LLNL



Abstract:

Describe a quasar and invariably it comes down to a blue, stellar
object. A composite quasar spectrum has a blue continuum punctuated by
broad emission lines. For the past forty years, end of discussion!
To be sure, there were contrary voices. There were a few examples of
extreme broad absorption line quasars with extremely red color. And
Webster et al pointed out that radio-selected quasars tended to be
redder than optically-selected samples. But by and large, these hints
were dismissed. In this talk I will discuss how selection effects so
misled us and why I believe that blue quasars are, in fact, in the
minority.