Induced Star Formation in a Radio Lobe of 3C 285?
Abstract
We report the discovery of a blue, star-forming region in the eastern lobe of the nearby (z = 0.0794), classical double-lobed radio galaxy 3C 285. This region is elongated along the radio source axis, and its optical line emission, and possibly its optical continuum emission, appear to be edge-brightened on the side facing the nucleus of 3C 285. We propose that the star formation in this region was triggered by the passage of the radio lobe through a region of dense gas in the intergalactic medium. Our observations add support to models in which powerful radio sources induce star formation through the compression of dense ambient material and are also in agreement with such an interpretation for the alignment effect observed in high-redshift radio galaxies.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- September 1993
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1993ApJ...414..563V
- Keywords:
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- H Ii Regions;
- Radio Galaxies;
- Star Formation;
- Astronomical Spectroscopy;
- Intergalactic Media;
- Interstellar Matter;
- Polarized Light;
- Radio Jets (Astronomy);
- Red Shift;
- Astrophysics;
- RADIO CONTINUUM: GALAXIES;
- GALAXIES: INDIVIDUAL ALPHANUMERIC: 3C 285;
- STARS: FORMATION