| Wang, M. Y.; Koposov, S.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Pieres, A.; Li, T. S.; de Boer, T.; Bechtol, K.; Belokurov, V.; Pace, A. B.; Bacon, D.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Annis, J.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Burke, D. L.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Kind, M. Carrasco; Carretero, J.; da Costa, L. N.; De Vicente, J.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Doel, P.; Estrada, J.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; Garcia-Bellido, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Grün, D.; Gründl, R. A.; Gschwend, J.; Gutierrez, G.; Hollowood, D. L.; Honscheid, K.; Hoyle, B.; James, D. J.; Kent, S.; Kühn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Maia, M. A. G.; Marshall, J. L.; Menanteau, F.; Miquel, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Sanchez, E.; Santiago, B.; Scarpine, V.; Schindler, R.; Schubnell, M.; Serrano, S.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, M.; Smith, R. C.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Tucker, D. L.; Walker, A. R. (2019): Rediscovery of the Sixth Star Cluster in the Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy. In: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 875, No. 2, L13 |
Abstract
Since first noticed by Shapley in 1939, a faint object coincident with the Fornax dwarf spheroidal has long been discussed as a possible sixth globular cluster (GC) system. However, debate has continued over whether this overdensity is a statistical artifact or a blended galaxy group. In this Letter we demonstrate, using deep DECam imaging data, that this object is well resolved into stars and is a bona fide star cluster. The stellar overdensity of this cluster is statistically significant at the level of similar to 6-6.7 sigma in several different photometric catalogs including Gaia. Therefore, it is highly unlikely to be caused by random fluctuation. We show that Fornax 6 is a star cluster with a peculiarly low surface brightness and irregular shape, which may indicate a strong tidal influence from its host galaxy. The Hess diagram of Fornax 6 is largely consistent with that of Fornax field stars, but it appears to be slightly bluer. However, it is still likely more metal-rich than most of the GCs in the system. Faint clusters like Fornax 6 that orbit and potentially get disrupted in the centers of dwarf galaxies can prove crucial for constraining the dark matter distribution in Milky Way satellites.
| Item Type: | Journal article |
|---|---|
| Faculties: | Physics |
| Subjects: | 500 Science > 530 Physics |
| ISSN: | 2041-8205 |
| Language: | English |
| ID Code: | 82861 |
| Deposited On: | 15. Dec 2021 15:04 |
| Last Modified: | 15. Dec 2021 15:04 |
- BASE
- Wang, M. Y.
- Koposov, S.
- Drlica-Wagner, A.
- Pieres, A.
- Li, T. S.
- de Boer, T.
- Bechtol, K.
- Belokurov, V.
- Pace, A. B.
- Bacon, D.
- Abbott, T. M. C.
- Annis, J.
- Bertin, E.
- Brooks, D.
- Buckley-Geer, E.
- Burke, D. L.
- Carnero Rosell, A.
- Kind, M. Carrasco
- Carretero, J.
- da Costa, L. N.
- De Vicente, J.
- Desai, S.
- Diehl, H. T.
- Doel, P.
- Estrada, J.
- Flaugher, B.
- Fosalba, P.
- Frieman, J.
- Garcia-Bellido, J.
- Gerdes, D. W.
- Grün, D.
- Gründl, R. A.
- Gschwend, J.
- Gutierrez, G.
- Hollowood, D. L.
- Honscheid, K.
- Hoyle, B.
- James, D. J.
- Kent, S.
- Kühn, K.
- Kuropatkin, N.
- Maia, M. A. G.
- Marshall, J. L.
- Menanteau, F.
- Miquel, R.
- Plazas, A. A.
- Sanchez, E.
- Santiago, B.
- Scarpine, V.
- Schindler, R.
- Schubnell, M.
- Serrano, S.
- Sevilla-Noarbe, I.
- Smith, M.
- Smith, R. C.
- Sobreira, F.
- Suchyta, E.
- Swanson, M. E. C.
- Tarle, G.
- Thomas, D.
- Tucker, D. L.
- Walker, A. R.
- Google Scholar
- Wang, M. Y.
- Koposov, S.
- Drlica-Wagner, A.
- Pieres, A.
- Li, T. S.
- de Boer, T.
- Bechtol, K.
- Belokurov, V.
- Pace, A. B.
- Bacon, D.
- Abbott, T. M. C.
- Annis, J.
- Bertin, E.
- Brooks, D.
- Buckley-Geer, E.
- Burke, D. L.
- Carnero Rosell, A.
- Kind, M. Carrasco
- Carretero, J.
- da Costa, L. N.
- De Vicente, J.
- Desai, S.
- Diehl, H. T.
- Doel, P.
- Estrada, J.
- Flaugher, B.
- Fosalba, P.
- Frieman, J.
- Garcia-Bellido, J.
- Gerdes, D. W.
- Grün, D.
- Gründl, R. A.
- Gschwend, J.
- Gutierrez, G.
- Hollowood, D. L.
- Honscheid, K.
- Hoyle, B.
- James, D. J.
- Kent, S.
- Kühn, K.
- Kuropatkin, N.
- Maia, M. A. G.
- Marshall, J. L.
- Menanteau, F.
- Miquel, R.
- Plazas, A. A.
- Sanchez, E.
- Santiago, B.
- Scarpine, V.
- Schindler, R.
- Schubnell, M.
- Serrano, S.
- Sevilla-Noarbe, I.
- Smith, M.
- Smith, R. C.
- Sobreira, F.
- Suchyta, E.
- Swanson, M. E. C.
- Tarle, G.
- Thomas, D.
- Tucker, D. L.
- Walker, A. R.
