The Large-Scale Structure of Virgo A

The large-scale structure of the nearby radio galaxy Vir A is reviewed. It is argued that epochs of varying activity are also manifest on large scales. The radio sources exhibits three basic components: the inner bright lobes (projected size ∼5 kpc), the intermediate lobes (∼30 kpc), and the outer diffuse lobes (∼80 kpc). It seems difficult to reconcile these features, which have rather different brightnesses, energy densities and spectra, with a jet that had constant thrust and orientation over the past 10⁸ yrs.