High-resolution observations of the nucleus of 3C 390.3

The nucleus of the radio galaxy 3C 390.3 (z=0.0569) has been observed with a three-element VLB interferometer system at 5 GHz (6 cm). The radio core appears to be an asymmetric core-jet oriented in position angle 1430 +- 50, which is the same as the axis of the 300 kpc double source. About 40% of the flux of the core at 6 cm comes from an unresolved component with diameter < or =0.4 milli-arcsec, or 0.6 pc. Comparision of the data from two epochs indicates that there is structural variability on the pc scale, but any relative apparent motion is with a velocity of less than 0.5c