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The inner radio jet of 3C273

Abstract

Radio maps of 3C273 obtained with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) have been limited by low dynamic range and poor north–south resolution resulting from the low declination (2°) of this quasar1. Dramatic improvement can now be achieved using larger arrays and antennas in the Southern Hemisphere2,3. A new VLBI map, made at 5 GHz with angular resolution and dynamic range unsurpassed at this frequency for this source, shows a narrow jet extending to a projected distance lproj125 h–;1 parsecs from the core. Superluminal motion exists out to at least lproj≈46h–1 parsecs. Successive superluminal components emerge from the core and appear to move on a fixed curved path with similar speeds of about 1 milliarcseconds per year.

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Zensus, J., Bååth, L., Cohen, M. et al. The inner radio jet of 3C273. Nature 334, 410–412 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/334410a0

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