Chandra detects inverse Compton emission from the radio galaxy 3C 219

We report the results from a {\it Chandra} observation of the powerful nearby (z=0.1744) radio galaxy 3C 219. We find evidence for non--thermal X-ray emission from the radio lobes which fits fairly well with a combination of IC scattering of CMB and of nuclear photons. The comparison between radio synchrotron and IC fluxes yields a magnetic field strength significantly lower ($\sim 3$) than that calculated under minimum energy conditions; the majority of the energetics is then associated to the relativistic particles.