High-Redshift Quasars Found in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Commissioning Data V. Hobby-Eberly Telescope Observations

Abstract

We report the discovery of 27 quasars with redshifts between 3.58 and 4.49. The objects were identified as high-redshift candidates based on their colors in Sloan Digital Sky Survey commissioning data. The redshifts were confirmed with low resolution spectra obtained at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The quasars' $i^*$ magnitudes range from 18.55 to 20.97. Nearly 60% of the quasar candidates observed are confirmed spectroscopically as quasars. Two of the objects are Broad Absorption Line quasars, and several other quasars appear to have narrow associated absorption features.