Multi-epoch X-ray spectroscopy ( 0.3 - 25 { \thinspace keV } ) of the Seyfert 1.2 galaxy Mrk 79 ( UGC 3973 ) spanning nearly eight years and a factor of three in broadband flux are analysed .
The data are obtained at seven epochs with either XMM-Newton or Suzaku .
Comparison with contemporaneous RXTE monitoring indicate that all flux states of Mrk 79 are represented by the data .
The spectra are fitted in a self-consistent manner adopting a power law and ionised reflection to describe the broadband continuum .
Modification of the spectra by a distant photoionised medium , seen predominantly in emission , are also included .
Under the assumption that the inner disk is at the innermost stable circular orbit , our blurred reflection models give a spin of a = 0.7 \pm 0.1 .
The reflection component in each spectrum is weaker than predicted by simple reflection models .
If the illuminating X-ray emission is produced by flares above the disk that move at mildly relativistic velocities , however , diminished reflection is expected .
Light bending due to strong gravity near black holes can influence how the illuminating and reflected flux are observed ; variations in Mrk 79 do not suggest that light bending is important in this source .