Extending the Surface Brightness Profile of the Andromeda Galaxy Using Spitzer-IRAC Observations
Abstract
We present the first results from an extended survey of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) using 41.1 hours of observations by Spitzer-IRAC at 3.6 μm and 4.5 μm. This survey extends previous observations to the outer disk and halo, covering total lengths of 4.4° and 6.6° along the minor and major axes, respectively. We have produced surface brightness profiles by combining the integrated light from background-corrected maps with stellar counts from a new catalog of point sources. Using auxiliary catalogs we have carried out a statistical analysis in colour-magnitude space to discriminate M31 objects from the foreground Milky Way stars. We discuss our preliminary results on constraining the stellar mass and characterizing point sources in the outer radii.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #225
- Pub Date:
- January 2015
- Bibcode:
- 2015AAS...22544603R