A new class of star clusters in the disks of two nearby lenticular galaxies

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  • 26 March 2002
Abstract
Using spectra obtained with the Keck I telescope we have demonstrated conclusively that the faint (23<V7--8 Gyr), moderately metal-rich ([Fe/H]=-0.58+/-0.24) and, having a system rotation curve which is very similar to that of the host galaxy, are associated with the lenticular disk. Alpha-element to iron abundance ratios are highly supersolar with [alpha/Fe] between +0.3 and +0.6. With effective radii in the range 7--15 pc (compared to the 2--3 pc sizes typical of normal globular and open clusters) these objects have no analogs in the Milky Way or elsewhere in the Local Group and thus constitute a new class of star cluster.

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