Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
May 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000aas...195.0317p&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, 195th AAS Meeting, #03.17; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 32, p.874
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
The Pyxis globular cluster is a recently discovered globular cluster that lies in the outer halo (Rgc 40 kpc) of the Milky Way. Pyxis lies along one of the proposed orbital planes of the LMC, and it may be a detached LMC globular cluster captured by the Milky Way. We present a measurement of the radial velocity of the Pyxis globular cluster based on spectra of six Pyxis giant stars. The mean heliocentric radial velocity is 36 km/sec, and the corresponding velocity of Pyxis with respect to a stationary observer at the position of the Sun is -191 km/sec. This radial velocity is large enough that it allows strict limits to be placed on the range of permissible transverse velocities that Pyxis could have if it shares or nearly shares an orbital pole with the LMC. We have calculated the range of allowed proper motions for the Pyxis globular cluster that result in the cluster having an orbital pole within 15o of the orbital pole of the LMC. In addition to the radial velocity measurement, a spectroscopic metallicity estimate of [Fe/H] = -1.4+/-0.1 is determined from several spectra of the brightest giant; this is consistent with photometric determinations of the cluster metallicity from isochrone fitting. CP and SRM acknowledge support for this research by NSF CAREER Award grant AST-9702521.
Kunkel William E.
Majewski Steven R.
Palma Chris
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