Radio Quasar 3C204
Description
This image shows the radio emission from relativistic streams of high energy particles generated by the quasar. Astronomers believe that the jets are fueled by material accreting onto a super-massive black hole at the center of the host galaxy (not shown in this image). The high energy particles are confined to remarkably well collimated jets, and are shot into extragalactic space at speeds approaching the speed of light, where they eventually balloon into massive radio lobes. The overall linear size of the radio structure is 159 kpc, for a Hubble constant of 100 km/s/Mpc. There is a recessed hot spot complex in the West lobe, and periodic knot (shock?) structure in the jet.
This is a FR II quasar at redshift z=1.112. VLA 4.9 GHz image at 0.34 arcsec resolution.
Creator
Legacy Astronomical Images
Rights
NRAO/AUI/NSF does not hold full copyright for this image. Contact the archivist for details.
Type
Legacy Astronomical Image
Object Name
3C204
Investigators
Alan H. Bridle, David H. Hough, Colin J. Lonsdale, Jack O. Burns, Robert A. Laing
Telescope
Very Large Array (VLA)
Observation Date
1986-05-04
Type of Observation
continuum
Band
C
Wavelength
6 cm
Frequency
5.0 GHz
Center of Image
RA 8:37:44.960, Dec: 65:13:34.900 (J2000)
Field of View
0.003700 x 0.011000 degrees
Link to journal article
Series
Active Galactic Nuclei Series
Unit
Quasars Unit
Citation
Legacy Astronomical Images, “Radio Quasar 3C204,” NRAO/AUI Archives, accessed August 17, 2024, https://www.nrao.edu/archives/items/show/33350.