3C 293 is a relatively low redshift and moderately large radio galaxy with a steep-spectrum core at a
redshift of ~0.045 (D=180 Mpc) and 1 arcsecond=815 pc. It is associated with a peculiar elliptical galaxy,
VV5-33-12, with extensive dust lanes. These filamentary dust lanes are clearly observed in HST images to
wind and split as they cross the central region of the source at a P.A. of ~35 degrees. Wider field
optical images show a nearby companion galaxy ~37 arcseconds (~30 kpc) away.
For more information see
Beswick,Pedlar & Holloway, 2001 in press MNRAS
The image below shows a false colour HST WFPC2 image of the radio galaxy 3C 293 along with an overlayed
(similar angular resolution) MERLIN 1.4 GHz radio image. Selected spectra showing HI absorption across
the central few kiloparsecs of this source.