The Distance and Metallicity of the Newly Discovered, Nearby Irregular Galaxy HIZSS3

Details The Distance and Metallicity of the Newly Discovered, Nearby Irregular Galaxy HIZSS3 The Distance and Metallicity of the Newly Discovered, Nearby Irregular Galaxy HIZSS3

2005-01-25

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0501545v1

Astrophys.J. 623 (2005) 148-158

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Accepted, scheduled for ApJ, 10 Apr 05, V623 ; 14 pages

Scientific paper

10.1086/428341

HIZSS3 is an H I source in the Zone of Avoidance. Its radio characteristics are consistent with it being nearby (~ 1.8 Mpc) low-mass dwarf irregular (dIm) galaxy. It contains a modest H II region, but its stellar population has not been resolved by optical observations. MMT spectra of the H II region are used to derive the line-of-sight extinction (E(B-V) = 1.41 +/- 0.04) and gas metallicity (log O/H + 12 ~ 7.8). ESO VLT near-IR images clearly reveal a resolved stellar population. Narrow-band Pbeta images of the H II region are used in combination with previously published Halpha data to obtain an independent line-of-sight extinction estimate: E(B-V) = 1.32 +/- 0.04. The adopted foreground extinction is E(B-V) = 1.36 +/- 0.06. Based on the K-band luminosity function and K,J-K color-magnitude diagram, the apparent magnitude and color of the tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB) are derived. In turn, these parameters are combined with the adopted foreground extinction to estimate the distance (1.69 +/- 0.07 Mpc) and mean red giant branch metallicity ([Fe/H] = -0.5 +/- 0.1). As an ensemble, these new observations significantly strengthen the conclusion that HIZSS3 is a newly discovered low-mass dIm lurking behind the Milky Way in the outskirts of the Local Group.

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