Small stellar systems in Antlia: globular clusters and dwarf galaxies

BASSINO, L. P.; SMITH CASTELLI, A. V.; RICHTLER, T.; CELLONE, S. A.,; GÓMEZ, M.; INFANTE, L.; ARUTA, C.; DIRSCH, B.

Isla Margarita

Congreso; XII IAU Regional Latin-American Meeting of Astronomy; 2007

IAU

We present the combined results of two investigations of the Antlia galaxy cluster: (1) A study of the globular cluster (GC) systems around NGC 3258 and NGC 3268 (Bassino et al. 2008, MNRAS, 386, 1145), on the basis of V, I photometry performed on FORS1-VLT images. The distance to the galaxies are determined by means of the GC luminosity functions. The GC colour distributions are bimodal, except for the brightest clusters which show unimodal distributions. The radial density profiles of the red (metal-rich) GCs follow closely the V brightness profiles of the galaxies. The existence of intracluster GCs is also discussed. (2) A study of Antlia early-type galaxies in the central region of the cluster (Smith Castelli et al. 2008, MNRAS, 386, 2311), based on wide-field MOSAIC-CTIO images, obtained in the Washington photometric system. We analyze the colour-magnitude relation of early-type dwarf galaxies, previously listed in the Ferguson & Sandage´s (1990, AJ, 100, 1) photographic catalog, which follow a very tight sequence. We have found several new dwarf candidates not included in the catalog. In addition, we are studying the properties of several blue compact dwarfs (BCDs) located in the field.