<i>HST</i>and Merlin Observations of 3C 264—A Laboratory for Jet Physics and Unified Schemes

Abstract

We present new HST optical continuum and emission line WFPC2 images and MERLIN radio observations of 3C 264 at ~01 resolution. The jet is well resolved in both the optical and radio images. In addition, we report the discovery of an apparent optical "ring" at a projected radius of ~300-400 pc. The ring is most likely the manifestation of absorption by a nearly face-on circumnuclear dust disk. We discuss the evolution of the jet properties with distance. The jet collimation, brightness, and orientation change dramatically as it crosses the outer boundary of the "ring" suggesting an interaction between the jet and dense circumnuclear gas.