Detection of the Tip of the Red Giant Branch in NGC 5128

Details Detection of the Tip of the Red Giant Branch in NGC 5128 Detection of the Tip of the Red Giant Branch in NGC 5128

Jul 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996apj...465...79s&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal v.465, p.79

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

87

Galaxies: Distances And Redshifts, Galaxies: Individual Ngc Number: Ngc 5128, Galaxies: Stellar Content, Stars: Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

Scientific paper

We present a color-magnitude diagram of more than 10,000 stars in the halo of the galaxy NGC 5128 (Centaurus A), based on WFPC2 images through V-band and I-band filters. The position of the red giant branch (RGB) stars is compared with the loci of the red giant branch in six well- studied globular clusters and in the dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 185; the tip of the RGB is signalled by an observed turn-up in the luminosity function at I ~ 24.1 +/- 0.1 mag; this yields a distance modulus (m - M)_0_ = 27.8 +/- 0.2 for NGC 5128 (i.e., a distance of 3.6 +/- 0.2 Mpc), in agreement with previous determinations based on the planetary nebulae luminosity function and on the surface brightness fluctuations technique. The presence of an intermediate-age stellar population (5 Gyr) is suggested by the luminosity function of the asymptotic giant branch stars, extending up to I = 22.6 mag (for V - I > 2) and M_bol_~-5 mag; however, the number of these stars constrains the intermediate-age stellar population in the halo of NGC 5128 to be less than ~10% of the total. The color distribution at constant I magnitude, albeit affected by the completeness level of our sample, strongly suggests a mean value of [Fe/H] > -0.9 dex, possibly similar to the value found in M31 and higher than that observed in NGC 185. Like the M31 halo, the halo of NGC 5128 exhibits a broad range of levels of chemical enrichment.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Detection of the Tip of the Red Giant Branch in NGC 5128 does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Detection of the Tip of the Red Giant Branch in NGC 5128, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Detection of the Tip of the Red Giant Branch in NGC 5128 will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1116278