ITAL]Hubble Space Telescope[/ITAL] and MERLIN Observations of the Jet in 3C 273

Abstract

We present red and blue images of the jet of the quasar 3C 273 obtained with the WFPC2 on the Hubble Space Telescope as well as a new radio map made with the MERLIN array. The images are of significantly better quality than those of previous data. The two maps are aligned to an accuracy of 0020; this accuracy is achieved because both the quasar and the jet are contained in both the radio and optical images. The start of the optical jet is marked by an elongated knot which appears identical at radio and optical wavelengths. Other knots in the optical jet correspond to narrow oblique features within the radio outline. The total width of the smooth emission in the optical jet is 07; the FWHM of the optical knots is 03. The knots may trace the current location of a narrow, perhaps helical jet lying within the outlines of the older radio cocoon.