Head-Tail Galaxy IC 708

An unusual head-tail galaxy (member of a binary pair) in the Abell 1314 cluster of galaxies. This map shows twin jets of radio emission bending behind the active galaxy IC 708 as it moves through the gaseous atmosphere of A1314. The optical galaxy IC 708 is located at the apex of the bright red crescent (below, left of center). The pressure of the gas sweeps the radio-emitting material ejected by the galaxy into two "wakes" trailing behind it. Studies of these wakes allow both the past motioin of the parent galaxy and conditions in the cluster atmosphere to be examined. This map suggests a dynamical interpretation of the radio structure in which a normal twin head-tail morphology has been distorted by an eccentric orbital motion of IC 708 during a gravitational encounter with a nearby galaxy, IC 709 (located out of the picture, at bottom left).

VLA in hybrid-configuration using 14 antennas. Resolution: 3.3 x 4.0 arcsec.

Legacy Astronomical Images

NRAO/AUI/NSF does not hold full copyright for this image. Contact the archivist for details.

Legacy Astronomical Image

IC 708

J.P. Vallee, A.H. Bridle, A.S. Wilson

Very Large Array (VLA)

1979-02-03

continuum

C

6 cm

4.885 MHz

RA 11:33:59.420, Dec: 49:3:41.800 (J2000)

0.033333 x 0.033333 degrees

Contact the archivist for a high resolution tif of this image.

Active Galactic Nuclei Series

Radio Galaxies Unit