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The HI-rich Elliptical Galaxy NGC 5266: An Old Merger Remnant?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2016

R. Morganti
Affiliation:
IRA, CNR, via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy, and ATNF, CSIRO, PO Box 76, Epping, NSW 2121, Australia; [email protected]
E. M. Sadler
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
T. A. Oosterloo
Affiliation:
ATNF, CSIRO, PO Box 76, Epping, NSW 2121, Australia
A. Pizzella
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Astronomia, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy
F. Bertola
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Astronomia, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy
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Abstract

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We present HI images for the dust-lane elliptical galaxy NGC 5266. This galaxy contains more than 1010M of HI and our data show that the neutral hydrogen extends to ∼8 arcmin each side of the nucleus, or eight times the optical half-light radius Re. Surprisingly, the outer HI gas extends almost orthogonally to the optical dust lane. The overall HI kinematics can be successfully modelled by assuming that the gas hes in two orthogonal planes—in the plane of the dust lane in the central parts and perpendicular to this in the outer regions. The large amount of neutral gas observed and the HI morphology suggest that this object may have formed from the merger of two gas rich spiral galaxies. If so, it probably represents a relatively old merger remnant since most of the HI appears settled. The mass-to-light ratio has also been derived, with evidence for a dark matter halo around this galaxy.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 1997

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