A DEEP LOOK AT THE openParRELATIVELYclosePar X-RAY BRIGHT BALQSO FIRST 1556+3517

We propose a 40 ks EPIC observation of the lowionization broad absorption line(LoBAL) quasar FIRST 1556+3517. BAL quasars are Xray faint and only since theadvent of XMM and Chandra have they been routinely detected. Initial surveysreveal that the highionzation BAL (HiBAL) quasars are the Xray brightest ofthe class and are apparently normal quasars with moderate to high lineofsightabsorbing column densities. LoBAL quasars are significantly fainter in theXrays. The red, radioloud BALQSO FIRST 1556+3517, a shortexposure target ofboth Chandra and XMM, is the Xray brightest LoBAL quasar known at highredshifts and luminosities. The spectrum is too soft and faint to result fromsimple absorption, and is probably relfected as in Seyfert 2 galaxies. truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]