Astron. Astrophys. 336, L21-L24 (1998)

Letter to the Editor

The X-ray jet in the merging galaxy system Markarian 266 ^*

W. Kollatschny and P. Kowatsch

Universitäts-Sternwarte Göttingen, Geismarlandstrasse 11, D-37083 Göttingen, Germany

Received 4 May 1998 / Accepted 11 June 1998

Abstract

We present deep ROSAT X-ray images of the double nucleus galaxy Mrk 266 in combination with optical images and spectra. The High Resolution Imager (HRI) X-ray morphology can be divided into four components: two nuclei of the merging galaxies, a diffuse galactic component and a strong northern jet coincident with very strong optical line emission. This jet component is decoupled from the rest of the merging system considering the internal kinematics. The luminous X-ray jet is excited by hot postshock gas with respect to the morphology, the high excitation emission lines and the kinematics.

Key words: galaxies: individual(Mrk 266) galaxies: Seyfert galaxies: interactions X-rays: galaxies

* Based on observations taken with ROSAT, at Calar Alto Observatory, with HST, and with the VLA

Send offprint requests to: W. Kollatschny

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1998

Online publication: July 20, 1998

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