An Emission-Line Protogalaxy Candidate at z=2.5
Abstract
Narrow-band infrared imaging has revealed a faint red galaxy with a strong (equivalent width = 2%) emission line at 2.30 mu m. The field was observed because of its proximity to the quasar SBS 0953+549, which has a metal-line absorption system at zabs = 2.50. The emission-line galaxy is only separated from the quasar line of sight by a projected distance of 240 kpc, and we identify the emission line as H alpha /[N II] in a galaxy which is in the same group as the z = 2.50 absorber. Since all the galaxy properties are also consistent with a young age and a redshift of 2.5, it is a prime candidate for a protogalaxy.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1995
- DOI:
- 10.1086/309595
- Bibcode:
- 1995ApJ...448L...5M
- Keywords:
-
- GALAXIES: EVOLUTION;
- COSMOLOGY: OBSERVATIONS;
- INFRARED: GALAXIES