ROSAT HRI observations of Centaurus A

Abstract

We present results from a sensitive high-resolution X-ray observation of the nearby active galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) with the ROSAT HRI. The 65~ksec X-ray image clearly distinguishes different components of the X-ray emission from Cen A: the nucleus and the jet, the diffuse galaxy halo, and a number of individual sources associated with the galaxy. The luminosity of the nucleus increased by a factor of two compared to an earlier ROSAT observation in 1990. The high spatial resolution of the ROSAT HRI shows that most of the knots in the jet are extended both along and perpendicular to the jet axis. We report the detection of a new X-ray feature, at the opposite side of the X-ray jet which is probably due to compression of hot interstellar gas by the expanding southwestern inner radio lobe.

To be published in Astrophys. Journal Letters. 4 pages, 3 plates

Cited by in corpus (11)

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• BeppoSAX Observations of Centaurus A: the Hard Continuum and the Iron Line Feature
• Observation of Cen A by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer
• UVIT view of Centaurus A; a detailed study on positive AGN feedback
• RXTE monitoring of Centaurus A
• A possible X-ray jet from the starburst galaxy NGC6217