The Physical Nature of the Blue Objects in the Field of BD + 15° 2469 (Virgo Cluster)

The physical nature of 277 ultraviolet excess objects of the third Asiago field (22 square degrees, 15 ≦ m_pg ≦ 18, U–B ≦≦ -0.2) is investigated on the basis of objective prism plates. Most of them are stars, 8% are quasar candidates and 7% compact galaxies. The proportions of different kinds of objects changes with the magnitude and U–B colour index. The surface density of quasars is estimated to be between 0.5 Q/sq. deg. and 1.0 Q/sq. deg. for the UVX A₃ objects. The results of the A₃ field (located in the Virgo cluster of galaxies) statistically agree with the ones of the A₁ field, outside clusters of galaxies.