POX 186: the ultracompact Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxy reveals its nature
Abstract
High resolution, ground based R and I band observations of the ultra compact dwarf galaxy POX 186 are presented. The data, obtained with the ESO New Technology Telescope (NTT), are analyzed using a new deconvolution algorithm which allows one to resolve the innermost regions of this stellar-like object into three Super-Star Clusters (SSC). Upper limits to both masses (M\sim 10^5 M_{\odot}) and the physical sizes (\le 60pc) of the SSCs are set. In addition, and maybe most importantly, extended light emission underlying the compact star-forming region is clearly detected in both bands. The R-I color rules out nebular H\alpha contamination and is consistent with an old stellar population. This casts doubt on the hypothesis that Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies (BCDG) are young galaxies.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/9902294,
title = {POX 186: the ultracompact Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxy reveals its nature},
author = {V. Doublier and D. Kunth and F. Courbin and P. Magain},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/9902294},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
4 figures postscript, 2 tables, to appear in A&A main journal