HST imaging of radio galaxies at z=0.2: a comparison with quasar hosts and normal ellipticals

Abstract

We summarise the results of our recently completed HST R-band study of low-redshift (0.1< z<0.25) FRII radio galaxies along with the host galaxies of quasars of similar redshifts. We find that, like radio galaxies, the hosts of radio-loud quasars and all but the least luminous radio-quiet quasars are massive elliptical galaxies with relatively large scalelengths (≃10 kpc) and luminosities (>2 L*). Indeed the quasar hosts are essentially indistinguishable from the radio galaxies in our sample. Apart from the nuclear activity there is little to distinguish the AGN hosts from inactive massive elliptical galaxies.