On the proper motion of the Magellanic Clouds and the halo mass of our galaxy

Details On the proper motion of the Magellanic Clouds and the halo mass of our galaxy On the proper motion of the Magellanic Clouds and the halo mass of our galaxy

Feb 1982

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1982mnras.198..707l&link_type=abstract

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 198, Feb. 1982, p. 707-721.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

142

Angular Momentum, Astronomical Models, Magellanic Clouds, Milky Way Galaxy, Orbit Calculation, Radial Velocity, Eccentric Orbits, Elliptical Orbits, Orbital Elements, Tides

Scientific paper

As seen from the Galactic Center, the orbit of the Magellanic Clouds runs over the Galactic Poles. The angular momentum vector of the orbital motion about the Galaxy lies close to the direction of the Galactic anticenter while the last pericenter of the orbit lies some 20 deg past the South Galactic Pole towards the Clouds. The spin of the LMC and the angular momentum vector of the SMC's orbit about the LMC lie almost in the direction opposite to the linear velocity of our circular motion about the Galaxy. The pericentric distance of the orbit of the Cloud's barycenter is 50 kpc and the apocentric distance is some 200 kpc. The Galaxy must have a heavy halo out to at least 70 kpc if gravity alone is responsible for the velocities observed in the Magellanic stream; it is probable that the recent perigalactic passage has just freed the SMC from the LMC. The circular velocity of the Galaxy is about 244 + or - 20 km/s on the assumption that it is constant to great distances.

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