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Discovery of RR Lyrae Stars in the Sculptor Group Dwarf Galaxies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 July 2011

M. Koleva ,
Ph. Prugniel ,
I. Vauglin ,
M. Rejkuba ,
G.S. Da Costa ,
H. Jerjen  and
E.K. Grebel
M. Rejkuba
Affiliation:
European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, 85748 Garching b. München, Germany
G.S. Da Costa
Affiliation:
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian National University, Cotter Road, Weston Creek, ACT 2611, Australia
H. Jerjen
Affiliation:
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian National University, Cotter Road, Weston Creek, ACT 2611, Australia
E.K. Grebel
Affiliation:
Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Mönchofstrasse 12-14, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Abstract

We report on discovery of first unambiguous evidence of the presence of ancient stars in galaxies beyond the Local Group. In two Sculptor Group galaxies, ESO 294-010 and ESO 410-005, we have used deep multi-epoch Hubble Space Telescope ACS observations to image stellar populations fainter than the horizontal branch magnitude. In both galaxies we uncovered a well populated blue horizontal branch, as well as numerous RR Lyrae variable stars. The presence of these low mass star testifies that the star formation in dwarf galaxies started at least 10 Gyr ago.

Type
Research Article
Information
European Astronomical Society Publications Series , Volume 48: CRAL-2010 A Universe of Dwarf Galaxies , 2011 , pp. 61 - 62
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2011

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References

Da Costa, G.S., Rejkuba, M., Jerjen, H., & Grebel, E.K., 2010, ApJ, 708, L121CrossRef