3C 353
A giant elliptical radio galaxy in Ophiuchus.
3C 353 is a powerful radio galaxy in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was originally mistaken for a radio star in 1959 and cataloged as 2C 1473, but was linked to a galaxy in 1964. With a redshift of 0.030, it ranks as the fourth brightest source of its kind, behind Hercules A, Messier 87, and Cygnus A.
This giant elliptical galaxy has a LINER-type optical spectrum and looks undisturbed. It dominates the ZW 1718-0108 galaxy cluster. Its radio structure is double-lobed and classified as Fanaroff-Riley Class II. The total radio luminosity is about 5h⁻² × 10²⁵ W Hz⁻¹. Very Large Array (VLA) images reveal two roughly parallel radio jets with enhanced, diffuse brightness regions. The main jet appears straight but aligns more with the nucleus than pointing directly at it.
VLA imaging shows the jets have flat-topped total-intensity profiles, with radio emission coming from a thick area where the magnetic field lacks a component running along the jet’s axis. The rest of the source is extended. The two radio lobes differ: the eastern lobe is rounded with sharp edges, while the western one is elongated and irregular. A weak radio core sits near the center of the nucleus. Ultraviolet imaging has detected faint UV emission in the galaxy, and X-ray emission appears in the nucleus, both jets, and one radio lobe.
Quick Facts
- Epoch
- J2000
- Constellation Name
- Ophiuchus
- Ra
- 17 · 20 · 28.17
- Dec
- -00 · 58 · 47.71
- Z
- 0.030421
- H Radial V
- 9120 km/s
- Dist Ly
- 465 Mly (142.75 Mpc)
- Names
- 4C –00.67, 2MASX J17202814–0058471, PGC 60102, CTA 076, DA 434, NRAO 524, NSA 147925, PKS B1717–009, TXS 1717–009, CXO J172028.1–005846, MRC 1717–009
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
3C 353 was initially thought to be a radio star in 1959, where it was designated as 2C 1473. In 1964, it was identified with a galaxy counterpart. It is a dominating member of the ZW 1718-0108 galaxy cluster. The galaxy mainly contains a double-lobed radio structure with Fanaroff-Riley Class Type II radio morphology. Radio imaging made with the Very Large Array (VLA) found two radio jets which contain enhanced diffused brightness regions, roughly parallel to one another. The main jet appears straight but is mainly aligned with the nucleus instead of towards the nuclear point. The jets have total-intensity profiles classified as flat-topped, with jet radio emission originating from a thick area where the magnetic field has no signs of a component traversing towards the jet's axis. The rest of the source is depicted as extended. The radio lobes are different: the eastern part has a rounded appearance with evidence of sharp edges, while the western part has an elongated and irregular appearance. A weak radio core is found near the center of the nucleus region. Weak traces of ultraviolet emission have been detected, and X-ray emission is present in the nucleus, both jets, and one of the radio lobes.
Reader's Guide
3C 353's significance lies in its status as a powerful radio galaxy and the fourth brightest source detected after Hercules A, Messier 87 and Cygnus A. Its undisturbed appearance and LINER optical spectrum characterize it as a giant elliptical galaxy. The double-lobed radio structure with Fanaroff-Riley Class Type II morphology, along with the flat-topped jet profiles and the absence of a magnetic field component traversing the jet axis, provide key observational details for studying radio galaxy dynamics. The differing appearances of the eastern and western lobes—rounded with sharp edges versus elongated and irregular—highlight structural asymmetries. The detection of X-ray emission in the nucleus, jets, and one lobe, as well as weak ultraviolet emission, adds to its multiwavelength profile. Its membership in the ZW 1718-0108 cluster situates it within a larger cosmic environment.
More in Elliptical and Irregular Galaxies 1-24
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