Andromeda X, a new dwarf spheroidal satellite of M31: photometry

Daniel B. Zucker*, Alexei Y. Kniazev, David Martínez-Delgado, Eric F. Bell, Hans Walter Rix, Eva K. Grebel, Jon A. Holtzman, Rene A M Walterbos, Constance M. Rockosi, Donald G. York, J. C. Barentine, Howard Brewington, J. Brinkmann, Michael Harvanek, S. J. Kleinman, Jurek Krzesinski, Dan Long, Eric H. Neilsen, Atsuko Nitta, Stephanie A. Snedden

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

89 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report the discovery of Andromeda X, a new dwarf spheroidal satellite of M31, based on stellar photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using follow-up imaging data we have estimated its distance and other physical properties. We find that Andromeda X has a dereddened central surface brightness of μv, 0 ∼ 26.7 mag arcsec-2 and a total apparent magnitude of Vtot ∼ 16.1, which at the derived distance modulus, (m - M)0 ∼ 24.12-24.34, yields an absolute magnitude of M v ∼ -8.1 ± 0.5; these values are quite comparable to those of Andromeda IX, a previously discovered low-luminosity M31 satellite. The discoveries of Andromeda X and of numerous other extremely faint satellites around M31 and the Milky Way in the past few years suggest that such objects may be plentiful in the Local Group.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)L21-L24
Number of pages4
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume659
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Apr 2007
Externally publishedYes

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