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  • A Curious Milky Way Satelli...
    Zucker, D. B; Belokurov, V; Evans, N. W; Kleyna, J. T; Irwin, M. J; Wilkinson, M. I; Fellhauer, M; Bramich, D. M; Gilmore, G; Newberg, H. J; Yanny, B; Smith, J. A; Hewett, P. C; Bell, E. F; Rix, H.-W; Gnedin, O. Y; Vidrih, S; Wyse, R. F. G; Willman, B; Grebel, E. K; Schneider, D. P; Beers, T. C; Kniazev, A. Y; Barentine, J. C; Brewington, H; Brinkmann, J; Harvanek, M; Kleinman, S. J; Krzesinski, J; Long, D; Nitta, A; Snedden, S. A

    The Astrophysical journal, 10/2006, Letnik: 650, Številka: 1
    Journal Article

    In this Letter, we study a localized stellar overdensity in the constellation of Ursa Major, first identified in Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data and subsequently followed up with Subaru imaging. Its color-magnitude diagram (CMD) shows a well-defined subgiant branch, main sequence, and turnoff, from which we estimate a distance of 630 kpc and a projected size of 6250 x 125 pc super(2). The CMD suggests a composite population with some range in metallicity and/or age. Based on its extent and stellar population, we argue that this is a previously unknown satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, hereby named Ursa Major II (UMa II) after its constellation. Using SDSS data, we find an absolute magnitude of Mv6-3.8, which would make it the faintest known satellite galaxy. UMall's isophotes are irregular and distorted with evidence for multiple concentrations; this suggests that the satellite is in the process of disruption.