DISCOVERY OF AN OPTICAL SYNCHROTRON JET IN 3C-15

We report the discovery of a new optical synchrotron jet in the radio galaxy 3C 15. This brings to nine the number of known optical synchrot ron jets in nearby radio galaxies. The jet is well resolved in both le ngth and width and extends to a projected metric distance of similar t o 5 kpc from the galaxy nucleus. The host galaxy shows complex inner s tructure, including a dust lane and what appears to be two, or possibl y three, emission filaments or arms. On average the optical jet is blu er than the host galaxy by about 0.4 mag. Unlike other galaxies hostin g optical jets, the core of the galaxy does not possess a bright, unre solved nucleus, suggesting that the active galactic nucleus is present ly inactive or buried in dust. The radio-optical spectral index, alpha (ro) similar to 1, is the softest yet observed for radio galaxies with optical jets. The observed disturbances in the nuclear regions are in dicative of a recent merger or infall possibly resulting in the ejecti on of material along the jet.