Deep HST observations of two low-extinction windows near the Galactic Center
Abstract
We present initial HST results of our deep (100 ks), simultaneous Chandra/HST observations of two low-extinction "windows" in the Galactic Bulge: Baade's Window (Av=1.3) and Stanek's Window (Av=2.8). These fields offer a unique opportunity to look for low-luminosity X-ray sources at only a few degrees ( 4 and 2 degr) from the Galactic Center. As part of the ongoing Chandra Multiwavelength Plane (ChaMPlane) survey, these pointings are focussed at studying the population of accreting binaries with compact objects in the Galactic Bulge, and specifically at studying the gradient in their source distribution away from the Galactic Center. Using positional coincidence and optical colours, we so far have identified several candidate cataclysmic variables. Together with the optically identified hard sources in the field (see abstract by J. Grindlay et al.), we discuss these in the context of the population of accretion-driven sources near the Galactic Center.
This work is supported by Chandra grants GO3-4033A and AR4-5003A, HST grant GO-10009 and NSF grant AST-0098683.- Publication:
-
AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #8
- Pub Date:
- August 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004HEAD....8.2529V