Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Aug 1996
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996aj....112..431o&link_type=abstract
Astronomical Journal v.112, p.431
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
8
Ultraviolet: Galaxies, Galaxies: Clusters: Individual: Fornax
Scientific paper
We compare the Astro-1 Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) deep image of the Fornax cluster with deep optical surveys for purposes of determining the efficacy of vacuum ultraviolet imaging in terms of the recovery of very faint and/or diffuse galaxies. This field covers approximately 1/3 of a square degree and contains 15 galaxies with B_t_ brighter than 18.0 mag. A 1000 s near-UV image detected ten of these galaxies. These ten detections include three luminous ellipticals, two bonafide dwarf ellipticals, and five galaxies of small angular size that may or may not be members of the Fornax cluster. If these optically faint galaxies are members of the Fornax cluster, then the VUV imaging did sample an appreciable range in the galaxy luminosity function. For the dwarf ellipticals, a comparison of their optical and UV fluxes indicates the UV light is not dominated by any hot population but rather represents the general UV characteristics of the underlying stellar population. In particular, we can place an upper limit of 25 O3-5 stars that are present due to possible low level star formation. Furthermore, the UV-optical colors of the dEs are significantly redder than Galactic globular clusters which indicates that these dEs do not have a significant population of extreme horizontal branch stars. With the failure of the near-UV camera aboard the Astro-2 mission, the opportunity for performing a deeper near-UV survey has been lost. We conclude, however, that such a survey would have good sensitivity to the detection of optically faint and/or diffuse galaxies and would provide credible information on the galaxy luminosity function.
Bothun Gragory D.
O'Neil Karen
Smith Eric P.
Stecher Theodore P.
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