A new population of extended, luminous star clusters in the halo of M31

AP Huxor*, NR Tanvir, MJ Irwin, R Ibata, JL Collett, AMN Ferguson, T Bridges, GF Lewis

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    We present three new clusters discovered in the halo of M31 which, although having globular-like colours and luminosities, have unusually large half-light radii, similar to 30 pc. They lie at projected galactocentric distances of approximate to 15 to approximate to 35 kpc. These objects begin to fill the gap in parameter space between globular clusters and dwarf spheroidals, and are unlike any clusters found in the Milky Way, or elsewhere to date. Colour-magnitude diagrams, integrated photometric properties and derived King profile fit parameters are given, and we discuss possible origins of these clusters and their relationships to other populations.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1007-1012
    Number of pages6
    JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
    Volume360
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2005

    Keywords

    • galaxies : individual : M31
    • galaxies : star clusters : galaxies
    • DWARF SPHEROIDAL COMPANIONS
    • SURFACE-BRIGHTNESS PROFILES
    • GIANT GLOBULAR-CLUSTER
    • OMEGA-CENTAURI
    • GALAXY
    • ORIGIN
    • G1
    • METALLICITIES
    • SATELLITE
    • NGC-1023

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