The MURALES survey

Abstract

We present observations obtained with the VLT/MUSE optical integral field spectrograph of the radio source 3C 277.3, located at a redshift of 0.085 and associated with the galaxy Coma A. An emission line region fully enshrouds the double-lobed radio source, which is ∼60 kpc × 90 kpc in size. Based on the emission line ratios, we identified five compact knots in which the gas ionization is powered by young stars located as far as ∼60 kpc from the host. The emission line filaments surrounding the radio emission are compatible with ionization from fast shocks (with a velocity of 350−500 km s−1), but a contribution from star formation occurring at the edges of the radio source is likely. Coma A might be a unique example in the local Universe in which the expanding outflow triggers star formation throughout the whole radio source.