Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Superluminal quasar 3C179 with double radio lobes

Abstract

VLBI observations of the quasar 3C179 reveal that its two milli arc second components have an apparent relative velocity of 7.6 times the velocity of light. This is the fifth radio source in which ‘superluminal’ motion has been reported but the first which also exhibits double lobe structure on the arc second scale. Statistical arguments which apply to such sources cause difficulties for explanations based on motion in a relativistic jet.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Whitney, A. R. et al. Science 173, 225–230 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cohen, M. H. et al. Astrophys. J. 170, 207–217 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cohen, M. H. et al. Nature 268, 405–409 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cotton, W. D. et al. Astrophys. J. Lett. 229, L115–117 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cohen, M. H. et al. Astrophys. J. 231, 293–298 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kellerman, K. I. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 336, 1–11 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Pearson, T. J. et al. Nature 290, 365–368 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Blandford, R. D., McKee, C. F. & Rees, M. J. Nature 267, 211–216 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Marscher, A. P. & Scott, J. S. Publ astr. Soc. Pacif. 92, 127–133 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cohen, A. M. et al. Mem. R. astr. Soc. 84, 1–44 (1977).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Scheuer, P. A. G. & Readhead, A. C. S. Nature 277, 182–185 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hine, R. G. & Scheuer, P. A. G. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 193, 285–293 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Owen, F. N., Porcas, R. W. & Neff, S. G. Astr. J. 83, 1009–1020 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Pauliny-Toth, I. I. K. & Kellermann, K. I. Astr. J. 73, 953–969 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kellermann, K. I. & Pauliny-Toth, I. I. K. Astr. J. 78, 828–847 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Linfield, R. Astrophys. J. 244, 436–446 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kellermann, K. I. et al. Astr. Astrophys. 97, L1–4 (1981).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Schilizzi, R. T. et al. Proc. 2nd ESO/ESA Workshop, Munich, 107–108 (1981).

  19. Readhead, A. C. S. et al. Nature 276, 768–771 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Cohen, M. H. et al. Astrophys. J. 247, 774–779 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Schraml, J. et al. Astrophys. J. (submitted).

  22. Rogers, A. E. E. et al. Astrophys. J. 193, 293–301 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Dent, W. A. Science 175, 1105–1106 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Bahcall, J. N. & Milgrom, M. Astrophys. J. 236, 24–42 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Chitre, S. M. & Narlikar, J. V. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 187, 655–659 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Blandford, R. D. & Königl, A. Astrophys. J. 232, 34–48 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Kellermann, K. I. & Pauliny-Toth, I. I. K. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. (in the press).

  28. Eder, D. C. & Oster, L. Astrophys. J. 233, 780–786 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Longair, M. S. & Riley, J. M. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 188, 625–635 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Swarup, G. & Banhatti, D. G. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 194, 1025–1032 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Rees, M. J. Nature 211, 468–470 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. de Young, D. S. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 447–474 (1976).

  33. Gopal-Krishna, Preuss, E. & Schilizzi, R. T. Nature 288, 344–347 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Kus, A. J., Wilkinson, P. N. & Booth, R. S. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 194, 527–535 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Williams, P. J. S., Kenderdine, S. & Baldwin, J. E. Mem. R. astr. Soc. 70, 53–110 (1966).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Gower, J. F. R., Scott, P. F. & Wills, D. Mem. R. astr. Soc. 71, 49–144 (1967).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. Pauliny-Toth, I. I. K., Wade, C. M. & Heeschen, D. S. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 13, 65–123 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. Bridle, A. H. et al. Astr. J. 77, 405–443 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Kellermann, K. I., Pauliny-Toth, I. I. K. & Tyler, W. C. Astr. J. 73, 298–309 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Witzel, A. et al. Astr. J. 83, 475–477 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Porcas, R. Superluminal quasar 3C179 with double radio lobes. Nature 294, 47–49 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/294047a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/294047a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing