Wide Field Imaging of the Hubble Deep Field-South Region I: Quasar Candidates

Abstract

We present candidate quasars from a multi-color (uBVRI + narrow-band) imaging survey of 1/2 square degree around the Hubble Deep Field - South. We identify 154 candidate quasars with B < 23 using color selection, consistent with previously measured QSO number counts if we assume a 60% selection efficiency. The narrow-band filter (NB) was centered at 3958 A to detect Ly-alpha at the redshift of J2233-6033, the HDF-S QSO. We confirm the presence of Ly-alpha nebulosity extending ~12&#39;&#39; around the HDF-S QSO, reported by Bergeron et al. (1999). We detect 10 point-like objects in emission through the NB filter. Of these, 7 satisfy our QSO color selection criteria. One of emission-line objects is a B~20 radio-quiet quasar at z=1.56, 6.7&#39; from the line of sight to the HDF-S QSO and ~12&#39;&#39; from the western edge of the WFPC2 deep field.