The Spatial Distribution of Virgo's Globular Clusters
Abstract
We present the results for a search for globular clusters (GCs) throughout the Virgo Cluster, using deep g'i' photometry from the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS), a large imaging program using the CFHT+MegaCam from which to study the entire cluster out to the virial radius. We estimate a total population of ~65000 GCs within our Virgo survey region (covering over 104 square degrees), where the red GCs are largely located within or near the many luminous early type galaxies, while the blue GCs have spatial profiles that extend into intracluster space. In particular, the core region (containing M87) shows a highly irregular spatial distribution that includes regions of likely intracluster globular clusters (IGCs).
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #223
- Pub Date:
- January 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014AAS...22344239D