Multi-band images of the very isolated spiral galaxy NGC 5523 show a number of unusual features consistent with NGC 5523 having experienced a significant merger: (1) Near-infrared (NIR) images from the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) and the WIYN 3.5-m Multi-band images of the very isolated spiral galaxy NGC 5523 show a number of unusual features consistent with NGC 5523 having experienced a significant merger: (1) Near-infrared (NIR) images from the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) and the WIYN 3.5-m telescope reveal a nucleated bulge-like structure embedded in a spiral disk. (2) The bulge is offset by ~1.8kpc from a brightness minimum at the center of the optically bright inner disk. (3) A tidal stream, possibly associated with an ongoing satellite interaction, extends from the nucleated bulge along the disk. We interpret these properties as the results of one or more non-disruptive mergers between NGC 5523 and companion galaxies or satellites, raising the possibility that some galaxies become isolated because they have merged with former companions.
Employing deep H{alpha} narrowband imagery, we identified and measured the fluxes of 137 small H II regions in the extreme outer disk (R>=R_25_) of the nearly face-on, Sc I galaxy NGC 628. A majority of these H II regions are located in two faint, outer spiral arms visible in H I maps. The faintest H II regions that could be measured have fluxes of only a few times 10^-16^ergs/cm^2^/s, which correspond to luminosities of 10^36^ergs/s, or a fraction of the Orion Nebula luminosity. The most distant object detected is at R~27kpc from the galaxy center. The massive star formation rate, as measured from the azimuthally averaged H{alpha} flux, is consistent with a monotonic decrease as far as R~1.3R_25_ (20kpc), where there is a sharp drop. The Schmidt law for the whole disk of NGC 628 corresponds to a relatively steep power law with n=2.9+/-0.2, but it "fails" below {Sigma}gas<=4M_{sun}_/pc^2^; the index depends strongly on the CO data used. We derived the luminosity function (LF) of 598 H II regions over the whole disk, and we compared the shapes of the cumulative LFs between R>=R_25_ and R<R_25_; the LF of the outer regions is significantly steeper than that of the inner regions.
We use Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Faint Object Camera (FOC) ultraviolet (UV) and WFPC2 optical images in conjunction with UV spectroscopic observations taken with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph to examine the star formation history and properties of the interacting galaxy system NGC 1741 in the Hickson Compact Group 31. The high spatial resolution afforded by HST has allowed us to identify a large number of starburst knots, or "superstar clusters" (SSCs), in the starburst regions of this system. Photometry of these SSCs in the UV and optical bands indicates that most of these objects have ages of a few Myr, with a few up to ~100Myr, and masses between 10^4^ and 10^6^M_{sun}_. The estimated age is confirmed by a spectral synthesis analysis of one knot for which we have obtained a UV spectrum. The V-band luminosity function of the SSCs is well represented by a power law {Phi}(L)~L^-{alpha}^ with an index of -1.85, with no evidence of a turnover brighter than the completeness limit. These properties are in good agreement with those found for SSCs in other starburst galaxies. Our results support the suggestion that some of these SSCs may be extremely young globular clusters formed in a relatively recent starburst episode that has been triggered by a merger event.
We present BV photometry of the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6402 (M14), based on 65 V frames and 67 B frames, reaching two magnitudes below the turnoff level. This represents, to the best of our knowledge, the deepest color-magnitude diagram (CMD) of NGC 6402 available in the literature. Statistical decontamination of field stars as well as differential reddening corrections are performed in order to derive a precise ridgeline and hence physical parameters of the cluster. We discuss previous attempts at deriving a reddening value for the cluster, and argue in favor of a value E(B-V)=0.57+/-0.02, which is significantly higher than indicated by either the Burstein & Heiles or Schlegel et al. (corrected according to Bonifacio et al.) interstellar dust maps. Differential reddening across the face of the cluster, which we find to be present at the level of {Delta}E(B-V){approx}0.17mag, is taken into account in our analysis. We measure several metallicity indicators based on the position of the red giant branch (RGB) in the cluster CMD. These give a metallicity of [Fe/H]=-1.38+/-0.07 on the Zinn & West scale and [Fe/H]=-1.28+/-0.08 on the new Carretta et al. (UVES) scale. We also provide measurements of other important photometric parameters for this cluster, including the position of the RGB luminosity function "bump" and the horizontal branch morphology. We compare the NGC 6402 ridgeline with that of NGC 5904 (M5) derived by Sandquist et al., and find evidence that NGC 6402 and M5 have approximately the same age to within the uncertainties, although the possibility that M14 may be slightly older cannot be ruled out.
The elliptical galaxy NGC 3923 is known to be surrounded by a number of stellar shells, probable remnants of an accreted galaxy. Despite its uniqueness, the deepest images of its outskirts come from the 1980s. On the basis of the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND), it has recently been predicted that a new shell lies in this region. We obtain the deepest image ever of the galaxy, map the tidal features in it, and search for the predicted shell. The image of the galaxy was taken by the MegaCam camera at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in the g'-band. It reached the surface-brightness limit of 29mag/arcsec^2^. In addition, we reanalyzed an archival HST image of the galaxy.
In very young clusters, stellar age distribution is the empirical proof of the duration of star formation (SF) and of the physical mechanisms involved in the process. We derived accurate stellar ages for the cluster NGC6530, associated with the Lagoon Nebula to infer its SF history. We use the Gaia-ESO survey observations and Gaia DR2 data, to derive cluster membership and fundamental stellar parameters. We identified 652 confirmed and 9 probable members. The reddening inferred for members and non-members allows us to distinguish MS stars and giants, in agreement with the distances inferred from Gaia DR2 data. The foreground and background stars show a spatial pattern that traces the 3D structure of the nebular dust component. We derive stellar ages for 382 confirmed cluster members and we find that the gravity-sensitive gamma index distribution for M stars is correlated with stellar age. For all members with Teff<5500K, the mean logarithmic age is 5.84 (units of years) with a dispersion of 0.36dex. The age distribution of stars with accretion and/or disk (CTTSe) is similar to that of stars without accretion and without disk (WTTSp). We interpret this dispersion as evidence of a real age spread since the total uncertainties on age determinations, derived from Monte Carlo simulations, are significantly smaller than the observed spread. This conclusion is supported by the evidence of a decreasing of the gravity-sensitive gamma index as a function of stellar ages. The presence of the age spread is also supported by the spatial distribution and the kinematics of old and young members. In particular, members with accretion and/or disk, formed in the last 1Myr, show evidence of subclustering around the cluster center, in the Hourglass Nebula and in the M8-E region, suggesting a possible triggering of star formation events by the O-type star ionization fronts.
Cluster-field segregation and determination of physical parameters of the open clusters NGC 1750 and NGC 1758 were performed from CCD and photographic photometric and astrometric surveys previously published by the authors. Membership probabilities were computed to a brightness limit of R=15mag through a non-standard method in a fully non-parametric approach, using proper motions, positions and photometry. This study allowed several parameters for NGC 1750 and NGC 1758 to be determined, including position, size, density profile, absorption, distance, age, luminosity function and mass. The common colour excess of both clusters is E(B-V)=0.34mag. NGC 1750 is slightly younger (log(t)=8.3), closer (V-M_v_=9.0mag) and less concentrated than NGC 1758 (log(t)=8.60 and V-M_v_=9.4mag). We also conclude that NGC 1746 is an erroneous assignation (not corresponding to any real open cluster), and that NGC 1750 and NGC 1758 are overlapping clusters, but they do not constitute a gravitationally bounded system.
We present Sloan g and i imaging from the Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph (GMOS) instrument on the Gemini North telescope for the globular cluster (GC) system around the Virgo galaxy NGC 4649 (M60). Our three pointings, taken in good seeing conditions, cover an area of about 90 square arcmin. We detect 2151 unresolved sources. Applying colour and magnitude selection criteria to this source list gives 995 candidate GCs. Our source list is greater than 90 per cent complete to a magnitude of i=23.6, and has little contamination from background galaxies. We find fewer than half a dozen potential ultracompact dwarf galaxies around NGC 4649.
We report the discovery of amplitude and phase modulations typical of the Blazhko effect in 22 RRc and nine RRab type RR Lyrae stars in NGC 5024 (M53). This brings the confirmed Blazhko variables in this cluster to 23 RRc and 11 RRab stars, which represent 66 and 37 per cent of the total population of RRc and RRab stars in the cluster, respectively, making NGC 5024 the globular cluster with the largest presently known population of Blazhko RRc stars. We place a lower limit of 52 per cent on the overall incidence rate of the Blazhko effect among the RR Lyrae population in this cluster. New data have allowed us to refine the pulsation periods. The limitations imposed by the time span and sampling of our data prevent reliable estimations of the modulation periods. The amplitudes of the modulations range between 0.02 and 0.39mag. The RRab and RRc are neatly separated in the colour-magnitude diagram, and the RRc Blazhko variables are on average redder than their stable counterparts; these two facts may support the hypothesis that the horizontal branch (HB) evolution in this cluster is towards the red and that the Blazhko modulations in the RRc stars are connected with the pulsation mode switch.
We present the results of a multiwavelength (far-ultraviolet to I band) survey of the stellar populations of the globular cluster NGC 6752, using Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS, FUV, 2001/03/01), Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS, VI on 2006/06/24) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3, NUV on 2010/07/31, 2010/08/07 and 2010/08/21, and UB on 2010/05/1-5) on board the Hubble Space Telescope. We have confirmed that two previously identified cataclysmic variable (CV) candidates are, in fact, dwarf novae which underwent outbursts during our observations. We have also identified previously unknown optical counterparts to two X-ray sources.
