Reconstructing the spatial distribution of the Galactic stellar halo
Abstract
The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is going to offer a unique chance to collect deep and wide field photometry in multi-directions, opening the door to a definitive mapping of the Galactic halo. In this shortcoming scenario, we present a pilot study aimed at recovering the halo stellar density using the Capodimonte Deep Field (OACDF, Alcalá et al. 2004). Turn-off stars are isolated and the relative color-magnitude diagram (CMD) is compared with synthetic CMDs. Our result is consistent with a power law exponent n≈ 3 over a range of Galactocentric distances from 8 to 40 kpc.
- Publication:
-
Stellar Populations as Building Blocks of Galaxies
- Pub Date:
- August 2007
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2007IAUS..241..237C
- Keywords:
-
- Galaxy: halo;
- Galaxy: structure;
- Galaxy: stellar content;
- Stars: Hertzsprung-Russell diagram;
- Methods: statistical