The Cluster Population of UGC 2885
Abstract
UGC 2885 was discoverd to be the most extended disk galaxy [250 kpc diameter] by Vera Rubin in the 1980's. We ask for HST observations of UGC 2885 as it is close enough to resolve the GC population with HST but it is a substantially more extended disk than any studied before. LCDM galaxy assembly implies that the GC population comes from small accreted systems and the disk -and the clusters associated with it- predominantly from gas accretion (matching angular momentum to the disk). Several scaling relations between the GC population and parent galaxy have been observed but these differ for disk and spheroidal (massive) galaxies.We propose to observe this galaxy with HST in 4 point WFC3 mosaic with coordinated ACS parallels to probe both the disk and outer halo component of the GC population. GC populations have been studied extensively using HST color mosaics of local disk galaxies and these can serve as comparison samples. How UGC 2885 cluster populations relate to its stellar and halo mass, luminosity and with radius will reveal the formation history of extra-ordinary disk.Our goals are twofold: our science goal is to map the luminosity, (some) size, and color distributions of the stellar and globular clusters in and around this disk. In absolute terms, we expect to find many GC but the relative relation of the GC population to this galaxy's mass (stellar and halo) and size will shed light on its formation history; similar to a group or cluster central elliptical or to a field galaxy (albeit one with a disk 10x the Milky Way's size)? Our secondary motive is to make an HST tribute image to the late Vera Rubin.
- Publication:
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HST Proposal
- Pub Date:
- August 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017hst..prop15107H