Chandra's view of the X-ray jet and halo of the giant radio galaxy NGC 6251

We present a deep Chandra observation of the giant radio galaxy NGC 6251. We found evidence that the well-known radio jet is associated with X-ray excess emission and that the central galaxy is embedded within a large diffuse soft X-ray halo. The superior angular resolution of Chandra discloses for the first time the innermost part of the radio jet in X-ray emission. The diffuse X-ray halo appears to provide an additional pressure component which confines the radio jet. Beyond a radial distance of about 110 kpc, the diffuse X-ray emission is undetectable whereas the radio emission widens and traces the huge radio lobe. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.