Related papers: M32 Analogs? A Population of Massive Ultra Compact…
We have discovered a new type of galaxy in the Fornax Cluster: ``ultra-compact'' dwarfs (UCDs). The UCDs are unresolved in ground-based imaging and have spectra typical of old stellar systems. Although the UCDs resemble overgrown globular…
We analyze three-band HST/ACS imaging data of the giant elliptical galaxy ESO325-G004. This is the nearest known strongly lensing galaxy, and it resides in the center of the poor cluster Abell S0740 at redshift z=0.034. Based on magnitude,…
We use a combined imaging and spectroscopic survey of the nearby central cluster galaxy, M87, to assemble a sample of 34 confirmed ultra compact dwarfs (UCDs) with half-light radii of >~ 10 pc measured from Hubble Space Telescope images.…
Eleven Ultra-Compact Dwarf (UCD) and 39 extended star cluster candidates are found to be associated with the galaxy NGC 1132. This giant elliptical galaxy is the remnant of a fossil group. UCD and extended star cluster candidates are…
Aim: To extend the investigations of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) beyond the well studied Fornax and Virgo clusters. Methods: We measured spectroscopic redshifts of about 400 compact object candidates with 19.2 < V < 22.4 mag in the…
Photometric surveys of galaxy clusters have revealed a large number of ultra compact dwarfs (UCDs) around predominantly massive elliptical galaxies. Their origin is still debated as some UCDs are considered to be the remnant nuclei of…
We investigate the connection between globular clusters and ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) by examining the properties of several compact objects associated with M87, all of which were previously classified as globular clusters.…
Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) are predominatly found in the cores of nearby galaxy clusters. Besides the Fornax and Virgo cluster, UCDs have also been confirmed in the twice as distant Hydra I and Centaurus clusters. Having (nearly)…
The HST ACS Coma Cluster Treasury Survey is a deep two passband imaging survey of the nearest very rich cluster of galaxies, covering a range of galaxy density environments. The imaging is complemented by a recent wide field redshift survey…
We recently initiated a search for ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) in the Centaurus galaxy cluster (Mieske et al. 2007), resulting in the discovery of 27 compact objects with -12.2<M_V<-10.9 mag. Our overall survey completeness was…
Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) are a new type of galaxy we have discovered in the central region of the Fornax and Virgo clusters. Unresolved in ground-based imaging, UCDs have spectra typical of old stellar systems. Ninety-two have…
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…
By utilising the large multi-plexing advantage of the 2dF spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope, we have been able to obtain a complete spectroscopic sample of all objects in a predefined magnitude range, 16.5<Bj<19.7, regardless…
The M31 satellite galaxy M32 has long been considered an object of unique properties, being the most extreme example of the very rare compact elliptical galaxy class. Here we present the spectroscopic discovery of two M32 twins in the…
Recent spectroscopic observations of galaxies in the Fornax-Cluster reveal nearly unresolved `star-like' objects with red-shifts appropriate to the Fornax-Cluster. These objects have intrinsic sizes of about 100 pc and absolute B-band…
We describe a population of compact objects in the centre of the Fornax Cluster which were discovered as part of our 2dF Fornax Spectroscopic Survey. These objects have spectra typical of old stellar systems, but are unresolved on…
Ultra Compact Dwarf Galaxies (UCDs) and dwarf galaxy nuclei have many common properties, such as internal velocity dispersions and colour-magnitude trends, suggesting tidally stripped dwarf galaxies as a possible UCD origin. However, UCDs…
We have discovered nine ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) in the Virgo Cluster, extending samples of these objects outside the Fornax Cluster. Using the 2dF multi-fiber spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope, the new Virgo members…
We performed a large spectroscopic survey of compact, unresolved objects in the core of the Hydra I galaxy cluster (Abell 1060), with the aim of identifying ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs), and investigating the properties of the…
In the last decade, a new kind of stellar systems has been established that shows properties in between those of globular clusters (GCs) and early-type dwarf galaxies. These so-called ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) have masses in the…