
%0 Journal Article
%A Safouris, V. 
%A Hunstead, R. W. 
%A Prouton, O. R. 
%T The Extraordinary Radio Galaxy MRC B1221&#8211;423
%J Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
%D 2003/06/04
%V 20
%N 1
%P 1-5
%K Keywords: galaxies: active &#8212; galaxies: interactions &#8212; galaxies: individual (B1221&#8211;423)
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/AS02029
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AS02029 
%X MRC B1221&#8211;423 is a compact steep spectrum (CSS) radio source in the core of a remarkable elliptical galaxy. We examine its environment with long-slit spectra and multicolour images. A high-resolution synthesis image shows the radio source to have a 1&#180;&#180;.5 (5.7&#32;kpc) double structure. We use the empirical relationship between jet kinetic power and narrow line luminosity to infer a source age of &#126;105&#32;yr. The z&#32;=&#32;0.1706 host galaxy is clearly disturbed, with tidal features and shells providing plausible evidence for a merger with one or more close companions. This evidence leads us to conclude that B1221&#8211;423 may be the progenitor of a much larger source, caught at an early stage in its radio evolution. We speculate that it is the interaction and accompanying events which have triggered this young powerful radio source. 
