The large-scale structure of Virgo A

The large-scale structure of the nearby radio galaxy Vir A is reviewed. It is argued that epochs of varying activity are also manifest on large scales. The radio sources exhibits three basic components: the inner bright lobes (projected size similar to 5 kpc), the intermediate lobes (similar to 30 kpc), and the outer diffuse lobes (similar to 80 kpc). It seems difficult to reconcile these features, which have rather different brightnesses, energy densities and spectra, with a jet that had constant thrust and orientation over the past 10(8) yrs.