Related papers: Time-domain Studies of M31
The Great Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the nexus of the near-far galaxy evolution connection and a principal data point for near-field cosmology. Due to its proximity (780 kpc), M31 can be resolved into individual stars like the Milky Way…
A 30 m class optical/near-IR telescope in the Northern Hemisphere, equipped for diffraction-limited imaging and high-resolution, multi-object spectroscopy of faint stars, would enable a transformational investigation of the formation and…
One of our closest neighbours, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) has been the subject of numerous large area studies across the entire spectrum, but so far full-disk radio surveys have been conducted only at low resolution. The new wide-field…
The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest large galaxy to the Milky Way, thus it is an important laboratory for studying massive dark objects in galactic halos (MACHOs) by gravitational microlensing. Such studies strongly complement the…
In hierarchical cosmological models, galaxies grow in mass through the continual accretion of smaller ones. The tidal disruption of these systems is expected to result in loosely bound stars surrounding the galaxy, at distances that reach…
As the nearest large spiral galaxy, M31 provides a unique opportunity to learn about the structure and evolutionary history of this galaxy type in great detail. Among the many observing programs aimed at M31 are microlensing studies, which…
The mid-infrared provides a unique view of galaxy stellar populations, sensitive to both the integrated light of old, low-mass stars and to individual dusty mass-losing stars. We present results from an extended Spitzer/IRAC survey of M31…
Many clues about the galaxy assembly process lurk in the faint outer regions of galaxies. The low surface brightnesses of these parts pose a significant challenge for studies of diffuse light, and few robust constraints on galaxy formation…
(Abridged) The spatial distribution of the Galactic satellite system plays an important role in Galactic dynamics and cosmology, where its successful reproduction is a key test of simulations of galaxy halo formation. Here, we examine its…
We report the discovery of significant stellar substructure in the halo and outer disk of our nearest large galactic neighbour, M31. Our deep panoramic survey with the Isaac Newton Telescope Wide Field Camera currently maps out an area of…
We discuss the first results from ongoing studies of the resolved stellar populations in the outskirts of our nearest large neighbour, M31. Deep HST/WFPC2 archival observations are used to construct colour-magnitude-diagrams which reach…
The outer regions of galaxies are expected to contain important clues about the way in which galaxies are assembled. Although quantitative study of these parts has been severely limited in the past, breakthroughs are now being made thanks…
The stellar populations of galaxies contain a wealth of detailed information. From the youngest, most massive stars, to almost invisible remnants, the history of star formation is encoded in the stars that make up a galaxy. Extracting some,…
Wide field imaging is key to understanding the build-up of distant clusters and their galaxy population. By focusing on the so far unexplored outskirts of clusters, where infalling galaxies first hit the cluster potential and the hot…
The compact elliptical galaxy M32 offers a unique testing ground for theories of stellar evolution. Because of its proximity, solar-blind UV observations can resolve the hot evolved stars in its center. Some of these late evolutionary…
The deep homogeneous survey of the large Local-Group spiral galaxy M 31 is a milestone project for X-ray astronomy, as it allows a detailed X-ray inventory of an archetypal low-star-formation-rate galaxy like our own. We present first…
As part of the Z-PAndAS Keck II DEIMOS survey of resolved stars in our neighboring galaxy, Andromeda (M31), we have built up a unique data set of measured velocities and chemistries for thousands of stars in the Andromeda stellar halo,…
Many clues about the galaxy assembly process lurk in the faint outer regions of galaxies. Although quantitative study of these parts has been severely limited in the past, breakthroughs are now being made thanks to the combination of…
The Local Group (LG) is an environment accessible to detailed studies of galaxy formation, providing a complement to the early universe. In particular, spectroscopy of resolved stellar populations in the LG provides kinematical and chemical…
The two nearby galaxies, M31 and M33, are stepping stones for most of our current efforts to understand the evolving universe at large scales. We are undertaking a long term project, called DIRECT, to improve the direct distance estimate to…