Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies: a new class of compact stellar system discovered in the Fornax Cluster

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/59268

Title: Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies: a new class of compact stellar system discovered in the Fornax Cluster
Author(s): Drinkwater, Michael J.; Bekki, Kenji; Couch, W.; Phillipps, S.; Jones, B.; Gregg, Michael D.
Abstract: We have used the 2dF spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope to obtain a complete spectroscopic sample of all objects in the magnitude range, 16.5 < bj < 19.8, regardless of morphology, in an area centred on the Fornax Cluster of galaxies. Among the unresolved targets are five objects which are members of the Fornax Cluster. They are extremely compact stellar systems with scale lengths less than 40 parsecs. These ultra-compact dwarfs are unlike any known type of stellar system, being more compact and significantly less luminous than other compact dwarf galaxies, yet much brighter than any globular cluster.
Publication type: Conference paper
Source: Proceedings of the IAU Symposia, 'Extragalactic Star Clusters', Pucon, Chile, 12-16 March 2001 / D. Geisler, E.K. Grebel & D. Minniti (eds), Vol. 207, pp. 287-293
Publication year: 2002
Keyword(s): Fornax Cluster; Spectroscopy; Stellar systems; Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies
Publisher: Astronomical Society of the Pacific
ISSN: 0074-1809
ISBN: 158381115X
Publisher URL: http://www.iau.org/science/publications/iau/symposium/
Peer reviewed