The nature of bright giants in the halo of NGC 253 and implications for the distance scale

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astronomical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/115494· OSTI ID:6576982

Davidge, T J; Pritchet, C J ^[1]

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1. Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corp., Kamuela, HI (USA) Victoria Univ. (Canada)

The 3.6 m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope has been used to obtain dep V and I CCD images of a field in the halo of NGC 253. A larger number of stellar objects, far in excess of that expected from background galaxies and foreground stars, have been detected fainter than I = 22.5 and V = 24.0, and these are identified as bright giants in the halo of NGC 253. The luminosities of the brightest objects in the field are similar to those of asymptotic giant branch stars in Galactic globular clusters. If these luminous stars are assumed to be similar to the brightest giants in the outer halo of M31, then the distance modulus of NGC 253 is equal to or less than 26.8. This is slightly lower than the canonical value derived from other distance indicators. 32 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6576982
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal; (USA) Vol. 100; ISSN 0004-6256; ISSN ANJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BRIGHTNESS
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES
CONFIGURATION
DISTANCE
GALAXIES
GIANT STARS
LUMINOSITY
MORPHOLOGY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RED GIANT STARS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
STARS