IERS B1946+708 is described as an
elliptical galaxy. It is known to have a disk described as inclined with a measurement of 600
parsecs in radius based on three-band imaging by
Hubble Space Telescope. The nuclear regions of the galaxy are depicted to be much redder compared to its outer regions with B and
R band magnitudes of 2-3. A companion galaxy can be seen 67
kiloparsecs away from it. The source of IERS B1946+708 is known to be compact. It is described as having an S-symmetry with its radio core located halfway in the middle of two hotspots located in north and south directions. The hotspots are estimated to have an expansion velocity of 0.024c which corresponds to the age of 4000 ± 1000 years while the core has an inverted spectrum. These jets are known to contain four components which are found to move at speeds of between 0.6 and 0.9c with the fastest component having a
velocity of 1.09 h−1 c. Low
polarization have also been observed in the jet components of IERS B1946+708 indicating
Faraday depolarization by
ionized gas and a tangled
magnetic field. X-ray observations by
BeppoSAX found IERS B1946+708 has a strong presence of iron
K-alpha emission lines in its spectrum. H I observations conducted by A.B. Peck and G.B. Taylor, found the source has multi-peaked
absorption throughout its radio continuum with the maximum
column density located towards the core, displaying velocity dispersion of 350
kilometers per seconds. This suggests IERS B1946+708 has a circumnuclear disk. == References ==