Journal
ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL
Volume 131, Issue 2, Pages 912-921Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1086/498895
Keywords
galaxies : dwarf; galaxies : individual (Fornax dSph); galaxies : stellar content; Local Group
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We have imaged the recently discovered stellar overdensity located approximately one core radius from the center of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy using the Magellan Clay 6.5 m telescope with the Magellan Instant Camera. Superb seeing conditions allowed us to probe the stellar populations of this overdensity and of a control field within Fornax to a limiting magnitude of R = 26. The color-magnitude diagram of the overdensity field is virtually identical to that of the control field, with the exception of the presence of a population arising from a very short (less than 300 Myr in duration) burst of star formation 1.4 Gyr ago. Coleman et al. have argued that this overdensity might be related to a shell structure in Fornax that was created when Fornax captured a smaller galaxy. Our results are consistent with this model, but we argue that the metallicity of this young component favors a scenario in which the gas was part of Fornax itself.
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