Abell 262 and a Large Background Supercluster found in 2MASS
Abstract
The region of the galaxy cluster Abell 262, which is part of the Pisces-Perseus supercluster, was selected to examine the effective depth of 2MASS because it offered a high density of galaxies with a range of morphologies. Redshifts were obtained for the 2MASS galaxies, nearly complete to Ks<13.5. This corresponds to an absolute magnitude of Ks=-20.3 in Abell 262, more than 4 mag fainter than the Schechter turnover luminosity L*. We determined the K-band luminosity function in Abell 262 and obtained new more-complete 21 cm HI observations of the K-selected galaxies in the cluster, which we describe in this presentation. Cataloged 2MASS galaxies in this region had redshifts as large as z=0.26, and we were able to examine the spatial distribution of galaxies in fair detail out to z=0.13. The galaxies are highly clustered into a few narrow redshift intervals. Surprisingly, most of the galaxies in this region turned out not to be in Abell 262 or the Pisces-Perseus supercluster (z ~ 0.015) but in a more distant supercluster at z ~ 0.07-0.09. We discuss the kinematic distribution of galaxies across the clusters and the distribution of galaxy luminosities within the clusters.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #198
- Pub Date:
- May 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001AAS...198.3315S