Wolf-rayet stars and an extraordinary star-forming region in the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5430.
Abstract
A strong emission knot 20 arcsec southeast of the nucleus of NGC 5430 shows spectral features attributable to Wolf-Rayet stars. If they are like those seen nearby, the knot contains 30,000 Wolf-Rayet stars, as well as a still larger number of O stars. Abundances of heavy elements in the ionized gas around the stars may be lower than expected for such a galaxy. A scenario is proposed in which this object results from the collision of a dwarf irregular galaxy with the disk and bar of NGC 5430 and ensuring star formation.
- Publication:
-
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Pub Date:
- October 1982
- DOI:
- 10.1086/131062
- Bibcode:
- 1982PASP...94..765K
- Keywords:
-
- Barred Galaxies;
- Emission Spectra;
- Hydrogen Clouds;
- Stellar Evolution;
- Wolf-Rayet Stars;
- Abundance;
- Dwarf Galaxies;
- H Lines;
- Astrophysics