The structure and kinematics of the ionized gas within NGC 5128 (Cen A)

The TAURUS imaging Fabry-Perot system has been used at the Anglo-Australian Telescope to observe the ionized gas within Centaurus A. NGC 5128, the optical body of Cen A, is well known for the dust lane system which rotates rapidly about its projected major axis. A growing body of opinion affirms that the fact that this galaxy appears 'peculiar' is a testimony to its proximity and that it would look much like any other radio elliptical at comparable distances. In this case, the presence of gas within this galaxy provides an invaluable laboratory for the study of a number of physical phenomena, in particular: (i) the three-dimensional form of elliptical galaxies, (ii) the nature of orbits in early-type systems, and (iii) the origin of nuclear activity within radio galaxies. (author)