Segue 2

Segue 2 Dwarf Galaxy[1]
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Aries
Right ascension	02h 19m 16s[1]
Declination	+20° 10′ 31″[1]
Distance	114 kly (35 kpc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)	15.2 ± 0.2[2]
Characteristics
Type	dSph[2]
Mass	5.5×105[2] M☉
Mass/Light ratio	650[2] M☉/L☉
Apparent size (V)	6.8+0.4; −0.4′[2]
Other designations
	Segue 2,[2] PGC 4713565

Segue 2 is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy situated in the constellation Aries and discovered in 2009 in the data obtained by Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The galaxy is located at the distance of about 35 kpcs (35,000 parsecs (110,000 ly)) from the Sun and moves towards the Sun with a speed of 40 km/s. It is classified as a dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) meaning that it has an approximately round shape with a half-light radius of about 34 pc.

The name is due to the fact that it was found by the SEGUE program, the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration.

Segue 2 is one of the smallest and faintest satellites of the Milky Way—its integrated luminosity is about 800 times that of the Sun (absolute visible magnitude of about −2.5), which is much lower than the luminosity of the majority of globular clusters. However, the mass of the galaxy—about 550,000 solar masses—is substantial, corresponding to the mass to light ratio of about 650.

The stellar population of Segue 2 consists mainly of old stars formed more than 12 billion years ago. The metallicity of these old stars is also very low at [Fe/H] < −2, which means that they contain at least 100 times less heavy elements than the Sun. The stars of Segue 2 were probably among the first stars to form in the Universe. Currently, there is no star formation in Segue 2.

Segue 2 is located near the edge of Sagittarius Stream and at the same distance. It may once have been a satellite of Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy or its star cluster.

In June 2013 The Astrophysical Journal reported that Segue 2 was bound together with dark matter.

Circa 1,000 stars are supposed to exist within the galaxy.

Notes

References

"NAME Segue 2". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
Belokurov, V.; Walker, M.G.; Evans, N.W.; et al. (2009). "Segue 2: A Prototype of the Population of Satellites of Satellites". Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 397 (4): 1748–1755. arXiv:0903.0818. Bibcode:2009MNRAS.397.1748B. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15106.x.

Preceded by Willman 1	Least massive galaxy known 2013 — 150,000M_Sun	Succeeded by incumbent

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[simbad-1] "NAME Segue 2". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2016-08-24.

[Belokurov2009-2] Belokurov, V.; Walker, M.G.; Evans, N.W.; et al. (2009). "Segue 2: A Prototype of the Population of Satellites of Satellites". Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 397 (4): 1748–1755. arXiv:0903.0818. Bibcode:2009MNRAS.397.1748B. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15106.x.