Related papers: SDSSJ124155.33+114003.7 -- a Missing Link Between …

We search for hints to the origin and nature of compact stellar systems in the magnitude range of ultracompact dwarf galaxies in deep wide-field imaging data of the Fornax cluster core. We visually investigate a large sample of 355…

We present BVI photometry of 190 galaxies in the central region of the Fornax Cluster observed with the Michigan Curtis Schmidt Telescope. The cluster members exhibit a strong surface brightness-magnitude relation in our data: both giant…

We present the serendipitous discovery of eclipse-like events around the massive white dwarf SDSS J152934.98+292801.9 (hereafter J1529+2928). We selected J1529+2928 for time-series photometry based on its spectroscopic temperature and…

We determine abundance ratios of 37 dwarf ellipticals (dEs) in the nearby Virgo cluster. This sample is representative of the early-type population of galaxies in the absolute magnitude range -19.0 < Mr < -16.0. We analyze their absorption…

In this letter, we report the discovery of an intriguing HVS (J1443+1453) candidate that is probably from the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy (Sgr dSph). The star is an old and very metal-poor low-mass main-sequence turn-off star (age…

We present the physical characterization of FSR 1758, a new large, massive object very recently discovered in the Galactic Bulge. The combination of optical data from the 2nd Gaia Data Release (GDR2) and the DECam Plane Survey (DECaPS), and…

We use a combination of X-shooter spectroscopy, ULTRACAM high-speed photometry and SOFI near-infrared photometry to measure the masses and radii of both components of the eclipsing post common envelope binaries SDSS J1212-0123 and GK Vir.…

We present the discovery of several Ultra Compact Dwarfs (UCDs) located in field/group environments. Examination of these objects, plus literature objects, confirms the existence of two distinct formation channels for UCDs. We find that the…

Distance determinations of extremely-low-surface-brightness galaxies are expensive in terms of spectroscopic time. Because of this, their distances are often inferred by associating such galaxies with larger structures such as groups or…

A wealth of observations have long suggested that the vast majority of isolated classical dwarf galaxies ($M_*=10^7$-$10^9$ M$_\odot$) are currently star-forming. However, recent observations of the large abundance of "Ultra-Diffuse…

Various formation channels for the puzzling ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) have been proposed in the last few years. To better judge on some of the competing scenarios, we present spectroscopic [Fe/H] estimates for a sample of 26…

Elliptical galaxies are systems where dark matter is usually less necessary to explain observed dynamics than in the case of spiral galaxies, however there are some instances where Newtonian gravity and the observable mass are insufficient…

Dynamical mass estimates of ultra-compact dwarfs galaxies and massive globular clusters in the Fornax and Virgo clusters and around the giant elliptical Cen A have revealed some surprising results: 1) above about 10^6 M_sun the…

I report discovery of a new galaxy-scale gravitational lens system, identified using public data from the MaNGA survey, as part of a systematic search for lensed background line-emitters. The lens is SDSS J170124.01+372258.0, a giant…

We report the discovery from Hubble Space Telescope ACS images of an extended globular cluster, denoted by Scl-dE1 GC1, in the Sculptor Group dwarf Elliptical galaxy Scl-dE1 (Sc22). The distance of the dE is determined as 4.3 +/- 0.25 Mpc…

A dataset of 23,351 globular clusters (GCs) and ultra-compact dwarfs (UCDs) in the Coma cluster of galaxies was built using Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys data. Based on the standard magnitude cut of $M_V \leq -11$, a…

We use deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging to derive a distance to the Virgo Cluster ultradiffuse galaxy (UDG) VCC 615 using the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) distance estimator. We detect 5,023 stars within the galaxy, down to a 50%…

[annotated] HST WFPC2 images were taken of three LSB dwarf elliptical galaxies in the Virgo cluster. The intent of the observations was to determine the small scale structure in these enigmatic galaxies, and to attempt to learn something…

We use HST/ACS imaging of 100 early-type galaxies in the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey to investigate the nature of diffuse star clusters (DSCs). Compared to globular clusters (GCs), these star clusters have moderately low luminosities (M_V >…

We report the photometric properties of 16 dwarf galaxies, 15 of which are newly identified, in the Western halo of the nearby giant elliptical galaxy NGC5128. All candidates are found at projected distances $\sim\!100\!-\!225$kpc from…