Near-infrared galaxy morphology atlas

We present a representative sample of near-infrared (1-2 mu m) images spanning the Hubble galaxy morphology classification sequence. The images come from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey, with a range in brightness of 7 mag < K(s) < 13.5 mag, and the morphological classifications from the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. We differentiate between elliptical, normal, and barred spirals, compact, dwarf, peculiar, and active galactic nucleus/Seyfert-type galaxies. This image atlas serves as a qualitative guide to the appearance of galaxies at wavelengths that penetrate the obscuring veil of dust, as well as provides a window to the older population of stars that dominate the observed light at 2 mu m, including large-scale bar features. We show that central surface brightness and integrated flux may be used to discriminate spheroid and early-type spirals from late-type spirals. The optical and near-infrared properties are compared.