Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
May 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21642107r&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #216, #421.07
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We present preliminary results from a stellar population study of the nearby compact elliptical galaxy M32, combining medium-resolution optical spectroscopy with near-IR J/H/K photometry. Using the Keck Echellette Spectrograph and Imager (ESI), optical spectra with 11 km/sec/pixel resolution over the wavelength range 0.39 to 1.09-micron have been obtained for approximately 50 red giant branch stars in the outer regions of M32. The spectral data were obtained using a unique multiplexing technique that enabled a roughly six-fold increase in observing efficiency. Based on the identification of the characteristic calcium triplet lines (found at 850, 854, 866 nm), the spectra were used to measure individual stellar velocities in M32 and kinematically identify interlopers from its neighbor, M31. A preliminary velocity distribution is presented along with galaxy membership predictions. The near-IR J/H/K data, were obtained with the Palomar 200-inch wide-field infrared camera (WIRC), and were used to investigate J-K vs. K and H-K vs. K color-magnitude diagrams for M32 over a 0.2-2.0 kpc radial range. Preliminary isochrone fits as well as age and metallicity constraints are presented for the full dataset. Finally, based on the kinematic classifications of our spectroscopic subset, the CMD contributions of M31 vs M32 populations were investigated.
Berti Angela
Choi Philip I.
Guhathakurta Puraga
Horn R. B.
Rudy Alexander
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