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Description
We use images obtained with the VISTA telescope in the Z and J bands to analyze the stellar content of NGC 253, a nearly edge on spiral galaxy in the Sculptor group. The very deep photometry, down to J~23.5, and the wide area covered allow us to trace the red giant branch and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars that belong to the outer disk and the halo of NGC 253, out to 50kpc along the galaxy minor axis. We confirm the existence of an extraplanar component, with a prominent southern shelf and detect for the first time a symmetrical feature on the north side. The star counts profile along the major axis show a clear break at 25kpc from the center, signalling the transition from the disk to the halo. The isodensity contours show a flat inner halo that blends with a more extended, diffuse, rounder outer halo. In such external structure, we detect an overdensity at about 28kpc from the plane and extending over 20kpc parallel with the disk of the galaxy. The spatially resolved color magnitude diagrams show a rather homogeneous stellar population across the tile. Particularly surprising is the presence of bright, intermediate age, AGB stars found scattered over a large volume.
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