Optical imaging of 78 quasars and host galaxies.

Results are presented of ≡1arcsec resolution optical imaging of 78 QSOs which have redshifts from 0.0 to 0.7. Data in B and R colors are available for approximately half of the sample. Fuzz, presumably a host galaxy, is clearly resolved in all but seven objects, and the study examines the colors, morphologies, and luminosities of these host galaxies, as well as the colors and luminosities of the unresolved nuclei. The sample contains nearly equal fractions of radio, optically and X-ray selected objects. About one-third of all QSOs appear to be interacting with another galaxy, while over one-quarter clearly lie in small compact groups or clusters of galaxies. Over 40% of the host galaxies show some spiral characteristics, the remainder having undetermined morphology.