1999MNRAS.307L..47H

The X-ray source AX J0341.4-4453 was described by Boyle et al. as a Type 2 active galactic nucleus (AGN) at z=0.672 based on the absence of broad emission lines in the observed wavelength range 4000-7000Å. We obtained a new spectrum of AX J0341.4-4453 extending to 9600Å which reveals broad Balmer lines and other characteristics of Seyfert 1 galaxies. The FWHM of broad Hβ is at least 1600km.s^–1, while [Oiii] λ5007 has FWHM=730km.s^–1. The flux ratio [Oiii] λ5007/Hβ=1. Thus, AX J0341.4-4453 is by definition a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy, or perhaps a moderately reddened Seyfert 1 galaxy, but it is not a Type 2 QSO. Although examples of the latter have long been sought, particularly in connection with the problem of the X-ray background, there is still virtually no evidence for the existence of any Type 2 QSO among X-ray selected samples.