HST imaging of the dusty filaments and nucleus swirl in NGC4696 at the
  centre of the Centaurus Cluster
  Narrow-band HST imaging has resolved the detailed internal structure of the
10 kpc diameter H alpha+[NII] emission line nebulosity in NGC4696, the central
galaxy in the nearby Centaurus cluster, showing that the dusty, molecular,
filaments have a width of about 60pc. Optical morphology and velocity
measurements indicate that the filaments are dragged out by the bubbling action
of the radio source as part of the AGN feedback cycle. Using the drag force we
find that the magnetic field in the filaments is in approximate pressure
equipartition with the hot gas. The filamentary nature of the cold gas
continues inward, swirling around and within the Bondi accretion radius of the
central black hole, revealing the magnetic nature of the gas flows in massive
elliptical galaxies. HST imaging resolves the magnetic, dusty, molecular
filaments at the centre of the Centaurus cluster to a swirl around and within
the Bondi radius.
