Publication Date

2000

Journal or Book Title

The Astronomical Journal

Abstract

We present the basic properties of three objects near the Galactic Plane—a large galaxy and two candidate globular clusters—discovered in the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) dataset. All were noted during spot-checks of the data during 2MASS quality assurance reviews. The galaxy is a late-type spiral galaxy (Sc–Sd), ~11 Mpc distant, at l = 236.82°, b = -1.86°. From its observed angular extent of 6.3' in the near infrared, we estimate an extinction-corrected optical diameter of ~9.5', making it larger than most Messier galaxies. The candidate globular clusters are ~2–3’ in extent and are hidden optically behind foreground extinctions of Av ~18–21 mag at l ~ 10°, b ~ 0°. These chance discoveries were not the result of any kind of systematic search but they do hint at the wealth of obscured sources of all kinds, many previously unknown, that are in the 2MASS dataset.

Comments

This is a pre-published version which collected arXiv. The published version is at http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/120/4/1876/fulltext.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1086/301549

Pages

1876-1883

Volume

120

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