3C 326

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3C 326
SDSS image of 3C 326.
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
ConstellationSerpens
Right ascension15h 52m 09.00s[1]
Declination+20° 05′ 30.00″[1]
Redshift0.089000[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity26,682 km/s[1]
Distance1.213 Gly
Apparent magnitude (V)17.08
Characteristics
TypeGpair[1]
Other designations
4C +20.37, PKS 1550+20, CoNFIG 233, 3C 326 ID, PGC 56261/LEDA 1615975, 3C 326N and 3C 326S

3C 326 is a pair of galaxies located in the constellation of Serpens. The tentative redshift of the system is (z) 0.089, meaning they are located 1.2 billion light-years from Earth.[1] They were first discovered in the Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources in 1962 and are classified as radio galaxies.[2][3]

Description

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Spitzer Space Telescope image of 3C 326.

3C 326 is made up of two galaxies in the system. The first galaxy designated as 3C 326N or PGC 56261 in the northern direction, is classified as a large elliptical galaxy with a LINER nucleus, described to have a boxy appearance.[4][5] Its total star formation rate is found relatively low based on a Herschel Space Observatory dust photometry observation and estimated to be 0.087+0.106-0.046 Mʘ per year.[6][7] The second galaxy designated as 3C 326S or LEDA 1615975 in the southern direction, is also an elliptical galaxy; however it is smaller than 3C 326N. When observed by Hubble Space Telescope (HST), it has a narrow dust lane at the southern nucleus with a close orientation to its major axis at 105°.[4][8] It is also found the galaxies are gravitationally interacting, indicated by a tidal bridge and distortions.[9] Their supermassive black hole masses are estimated as 5 x 108 Mʘ and 2 x 108 Mʘ respectively.[5]

The central radio source of 3C 326 is debated to be located either inside 3C 326N or 3C 326S. It was thought to be located inside a giant galaxy initially observed by A.G. Willis in 1978, with an estimated linear extent of 1.7 megaparsecs, making this the second known largest radio galaxy in terms of size after 3C 236.[10] However observations made in 1990 by S. Rawlings would identify the source to be located inside 3C 326N.[11]

The radio core of 3C 326 when observed, is classified as compact but weak, being elongated in east to west directions with radio emission surrounding it. However it is unknown if the core is located either in 3C 326N or 3C 326S.[12] Observations would find the source has asymmetrical radio lobes, with the western lobe forming a linear structure that broadens towards the central component while the eastern lobe is short but also extending both east and south-east. It is also found the western lobe is heavily polarized by more than 60%.[13] Non-thermal emission has also been detected from the western lobe as well with a flux density of 232.1 ± 2.4 at 8.51 GHz frequencies.[14]

A study published in 2007, would find detections of molecular hydrogen in 3C 326N. When observed, the hydrogen pure rotation lines are found to have an integrated luminosity of 8.0 x 1041 erg s-1 and a warm gas mass estimating around 1.1 x 109 Mʘ. This might be caused through shock heating of the gas though tidal accretions caused by the interaction with 3C 326S.[5] A gas disk was discovered in 3C 326N in 2011, with broad hydrogen rotational-vibrational lines across it at full width at half maximum speeds of 500 kilometers per seconds.[15] Located at the end of the disk lies a cavity, which indicates as a sign of a jet-inflated bubble found to be rapid expanding.[7] The spectrum of 3C 326N is found mainly dominated by a population of old stars aged greater than 1010 years and the total gas mass is 2 x 109 Mʘ based on its CO(1-0) line measurement.[16][17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "NED Search results for 3C 326". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  2. ^ Bennett, A. S. (1962). "The revised 3C catalogue of radio sources". Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society. 68: 163. Bibcode:1962MmRAS..68..163B.
  3. ^ "To Catch a Galactic Thief: Galaxy 3C 326". www.spitzer.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  4. ^ a b Martel, André R.; Baum, Stefi A.; Sparks, William B.; Wyckoff, Eric; Biretta, John A.; Golombek, Daniel; Macchetto, Ferdinando D.; de Koff, Sigrid; McCarthy, Patrick J.; Miley, George K. (May 1999). "Hubble Space Telescope Snapshot Survey of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts. III. Radio Galaxies with z<0.1". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 122 (1): 81–108. Bibcode:1999ApJS..122...81M. doi:10.1086/313205. ISSN 0067-0049.
  5. ^ a b c Ogle, Patrick; Antonucci, Robert; Appleton, P. N.; Whysong, David (October 2007). "Shocked Molecular Hydrogen in the 3C 326 Radio Galaxy System". The Astrophysical Journal. 668 (2): 699–707. arXiv:0707.0896. Bibcode:2007ApJ...668..699O. doi:10.1086/521334. ISSN 0004-637X.
  6. ^ Lanz, Lauranne; Ogle, Patrick M.; Alatalo, Katherine; Appleton, Philip N. (July 2016). "Star Formation Suppression Due to Jet Feedback in Radio Galaxies with Shocked Warm Molecular Gas". The Astrophysical Journal. 826 (1): 29. arXiv:1511.05968. Bibcode:2016ApJ...826...29L. doi:10.3847/0004-637X/826/1/29. ISSN 0004-637X.
  7. ^ a b Leftley, J. H.; Nesvadba, N. P. H.; Bicknell, G. V.; Janssen, R. M. J.; Mukherjee, D.; Petrov, R.; Shende, M. B.; Zovaro, H. R. M. (2024-09-01). "JWST/NIRSpec and MIRI observations of an expanding, jet-driven bubble of warm H2 in the radio galaxy 3C 326 N". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 689: A314. arXiv:1511.05968. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202449848. ISSN 0004-6361.
  8. ^ Floyd, David J. E.; Axon, David; Baum, Stefi; Capetti, Alessandro; Chiaberge, Marco; Macchetto, Duccio; Madrid, Juan; Miley, George; O'Dea, Christopher P.; Perlman, Eric; Quillen, Alice; Sparks, William; Tremblay, Grant (July 2008). "Hubble Space Telescope Near-infrared Snapshot Survey of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts. II. An Atlas and Inventory of the Host Galaxies, Mergers, and Companions". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 177 (1): 148–173. arXiv:0712.0595. Bibcode:2008ApJS..177..148F. doi:10.1086/587622. ISSN 0067-0049.
  9. ^ Roche, Nathan; Eales, Stephen A. (September 2000). "Optical/ultraviolet morphology and alignment of low-redshift radio galaxies" (PDF). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 317 (1): 120–140. Bibcode:2000MNRAS.317..120R. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03684.x. ISSN 0035-8711.
  10. ^ Willis, A. G.; Strom, R. G. (January 1978). "Multifrequency observations of very large radio galaxies: I. 3C 326". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 62: 375–392. Bibcode:1978A&A....62..375W. ISSN 0004-6361.
  11. ^ Rawlings, S.; Saunders, R.; Miller, P.; Jones, M. E.; Eales, S. A. (October 1990). "A new identification for the giant radio source 3C 326". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 246: 21P. Bibcode:1990MNRAS.246P..21R. ISSN 0035-8711.
  12. ^ Allen, Mark G.; Sparks, William B.; Koekemoer, Anton; Martel, Andre R.; O'Dea, Christopher P.; Baum, Stefi A.; Chiaberge, Marco; Macchetto, F. Duccio; Miley, George K. (April 2002). "Ultraviolet Hubble Space Telescope Snapshot Survey of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts at Low Redshift". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 139 (2): 411–438. arXiv:astro-ph/0112208. Bibcode:2002ApJS..139..411A. doi:10.1086/338823. ISSN 0067-0049.
  13. ^ Klein, U.; Mack, K. H.; Strom, R.; Wielebinski, R.; Achatz, U. (March 1994). "A high-frequency radio continuum investigation of giant radio galaxies. I. Observations of six objects at 2.8 CM wavelength". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 283: 729–744. Bibcode:1994A&A...283..729K. ISSN 0004-6361.
  14. ^ Persic, Massimo; Rephaeli, Yoel (2019-12-06). "Non-thermal emission in lobes of radio galaxies – III. 3C 98, Pictor A, DA 240, Cygnus A, 3C 326, and 3C 236". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 491 (4): 5740–5746. doi:10.1093/mnras/stz3415. ISSN 0035-8711.
  15. ^ Nesvadba, N. P. H.; Boulanger, F.; Lehnert, M. D.; Guillard, P.; Salome, P. (2011-12-01). "Dense gas without star formation: the kpc-sized turbulent molecular disk in 3C 326 N". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 536: L5. arXiv:1110.5913. Bibcode:2011A&A...536L...5N. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118018. ISSN 0004-6361.
  16. ^ Nesvadba, N. P. H.; Boulanger, F.; Salomé, P.; Guillard, P.; Lehnert, M. D.; Ogle, P.; Appleton, P.; Falgarone, E.; Forets, G. Pineau des (2010-10-01). "Energetics of the molecular gas in the H2 luminous radio galaxy 3C 326: Evidence for negative AGN feedback" (PDF). Astronomy & Astrophysics. 521: A65. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913333. ISSN 0004-6361.
  17. ^ Guillard, P.; Boulanger, F.; Lehnert, M. D.; Forêts, G. Pineau des; Combes, F.; Falgarone, E.; Bernard-Salas, J. (2015-02-01). "Exceptional AGN-driven turbulence inhibits star formation in the 3C 326N radio galaxy" (PDF). Astronomy & Astrophysics. 574: A32. arXiv:1410.6155. Bibcode:2015A&A...574A..32G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201423612. ISSN 0004-6361.
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