First Hubble Space Telescope observations of the brightest stars in the virgo galaxy M100 = NGC 4321

Wendy L. Freedman; Barry F. Madore; Peter B. Stetson; Shaun M.G. Hughes; Jon A. Holtzman; Jeremy R. Mould; John T. Trauger; John S. Gallagher; Gilda E. Ballester; Christopher J. Burrows; Stefano Casertano; John T. Clarke; David Crisp; Laura Ferrarese; Holland Ford; J. A. Graham; Richard E. Griffiths; J. Jeff Hester; Robert Hill; John G. Hoessel; John Huchra; Robert C. Kennicutt; Paul Scowen; Bill Sparks; Karl R. Stapelfeldt; Alan M. Watson; Jim Westphal

doi:10.1086/187587

First Hubble Space Telescope observations of the brightest stars in the virgo galaxy M100 = NGC 4321

Wendy L. Freedman, Barry F. Madore, Peter B. Stetson, Shaun M.G. Hughes, Jon A. Holtzman, Jeremy R. Mould, John T. Trauger, John S. Gallagher, Gilda E. Ballester, Christopher J. Burrows, Stefano Casertano, John T. Clarke, David Crisp, Laura Ferrarese, Holland Ford, J. A. Graham, Richard E. Griffiths, J. Jeff Hester, Robert Hill, John G. HoesselJohn Huchra, Robert C. Kennicutt, Paul Scowen, Bill Sparks, Karl R. Stapelfeldt, Alan M. Watson, Jim Westphal

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

As part of both the Early Release Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale, we have obtained multiwavelength BVR WFPC2 images for the face-on Virgo cluster spiral galaxy M100 = NGC 4321. We report here preliminary results from those observations, in the form of a color-magnitude diagram for ∼ 11,500 stars down to V ∼ 27 mag and a luminosity function for the brightest blue stars which is found to have a slope of 0.7, in excellent agreement with previous results obtained for significantly nearer galaxies. With the increased resolution now available using WFPC2, the number of galaxies in which we can directly measure Population I stars and thereby quantify the recent evolution, as well as test stellar evolution theory, has dramatically increased by at least a factor of 100. Finally, we find that stars are present in M100 at the colors and luminosities expected for the brightest Cepheid variables in galaxies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L31-L34
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	435
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/187587
State	Published - Nov 1 1994

Keywords

Cepheids
Galaxies: distances and redshifts
Galaxies: individual (M100, NGC 4321)
Stars: early type

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/187587

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Freedman, W. L., Madore, B. F., Stetson, P. B., Hughes, S. M. G., Holtzman, J. A., Mould, J. R., Trauger, J. T., Gallagher, J. S., Ballester, G. E., Burrows, C. J., Casertano, S., Clarke, J. T., Crisp, D., Ferrarese, L., Ford, H., Graham, J. A., Griffiths, R. E., Hester, J. J., Hill, R., ... Westphal, J. (1994). First Hubble Space Telescope observations of the brightest stars in the virgo galaxy M100 = NGC 4321. Astrophysical Journal, 435(1 PART 2), L31-L34. https://doi.org/10.1086/187587

Freedman, WL, Madore, BF, Stetson, PB, Hughes, SMG, Holtzman, JA, Mould, JR, Trauger, JT, Gallagher, JS, Ballester, GE, Burrows, CJ, Casertano, S, Clarke, JT, Crisp, D, Ferrarese, L, Ford, H, Graham, JA, Griffiths, RE, Hester, JJ, Hill, R, Hoessel, JG, Huchra, J, Kennicutt, RC, Scowen, P, Sparks, B, Stapelfeldt, KR, Watson, AM & Westphal, J 1994, 'First Hubble Space Telescope observations of the brightest stars in the virgo galaxy M100 = NGC 4321', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 435, no. 1 PART 2, pp. L31-L34. https://doi.org/10.1086/187587

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title = "First Hubble Space Telescope observations of the brightest stars in the virgo galaxy M100 = NGC 4321",

abstract = "As part of both the Early Release Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale, we have obtained multiwavelength BVR WFPC2 images for the face-on Virgo cluster spiral galaxy M100 = NGC 4321. We report here preliminary results from those observations, in the form of a color-magnitude diagram for ∼ 11,500 stars down to V ∼ 27 mag and a luminosity function for the brightest blue stars which is found to have a slope of 0.7, in excellent agreement with previous results obtained for significantly nearer galaxies. With the increased resolution now available using WFPC2, the number of galaxies in which we can directly measure Population I stars and thereby quantify the recent evolution, as well as test stellar evolution theory, has dramatically increased by at least a factor of 100. Finally, we find that stars are present in M100 at the colors and luminosities expected for the brightest Cepheid variables in galaxies.",

keywords = "Cepheids, Galaxies: distances and redshifts, Galaxies: individual (M100, NGC 4321), Stars: early type",

author = "Freedman, {Wendy L.} and Madore, {Barry F.} and Stetson, {Peter B.} and Hughes, {Shaun M.G.} and Holtzman, {Jon A.} and Mould, {Jeremy R.} and Trauger, {John T.} and Gallagher, {John S.} and Ballester, {Gilda E.} and Burrows, {Christopher J.} and Stefano Casertano and Clarke, {John T.} and David Crisp and Laura Ferrarese and Holland Ford and Graham, {J. A.} and Griffiths, {Richard E.} and Hester, {J. Jeff} and Robert Hill and Hoessel, {John G.} and John Huchra and Kennicutt, {Robert C.} and Paul Scowen and Bill Sparks and Stapelfeldt, {Karl R.} and Watson, {Alan M.} and Jim Westphal",

year = "1994",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1086/187587",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - First Hubble Space Telescope observations of the brightest stars in the virgo galaxy M100 = NGC 4321

AU - Freedman, Wendy L.

AU - Madore, Barry F.

AU - Stetson, Peter B.

AU - Hughes, Shaun M.G.

AU - Holtzman, Jon A.

AU - Mould, Jeremy R.

AU - Trauger, John T.

AU - Gallagher, John S.

AU - Ballester, Gilda E.

AU - Burrows, Christopher J.

AU - Casertano, Stefano

AU - Clarke, John T.

AU - Crisp, David

AU - Ferrarese, Laura

AU - Ford, Holland

AU - Graham, J. A.

AU - Griffiths, Richard E.

AU - Hester, J. Jeff

AU - Hill, Robert

AU - Hoessel, John G.

AU - Huchra, John

AU - Kennicutt, Robert C.

AU - Scowen, Paul

AU - Sparks, Bill

AU - Stapelfeldt, Karl R.

AU - Watson, Alan M.

AU - Westphal, Jim

PY - 1994/11/1

Y1 - 1994/11/1

N2 - As part of both the Early Release Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale, we have obtained multiwavelength BVR WFPC2 images for the face-on Virgo cluster spiral galaxy M100 = NGC 4321. We report here preliminary results from those observations, in the form of a color-magnitude diagram for ∼ 11,500 stars down to V ∼ 27 mag and a luminosity function for the brightest blue stars which is found to have a slope of 0.7, in excellent agreement with previous results obtained for significantly nearer galaxies. With the increased resolution now available using WFPC2, the number of galaxies in which we can directly measure Population I stars and thereby quantify the recent evolution, as well as test stellar evolution theory, has dramatically increased by at least a factor of 100. Finally, we find that stars are present in M100 at the colors and luminosities expected for the brightest Cepheid variables in galaxies.

AB - As part of both the Early Release Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale, we have obtained multiwavelength BVR WFPC2 images for the face-on Virgo cluster spiral galaxy M100 = NGC 4321. We report here preliminary results from those observations, in the form of a color-magnitude diagram for ∼ 11,500 stars down to V ∼ 27 mag and a luminosity function for the brightest blue stars which is found to have a slope of 0.7, in excellent agreement with previous results obtained for significantly nearer galaxies. With the increased resolution now available using WFPC2, the number of galaxies in which we can directly measure Population I stars and thereby quantify the recent evolution, as well as test stellar evolution theory, has dramatically increased by at least a factor of 100. Finally, we find that stars are present in M100 at the colors and luminosities expected for the brightest Cepheid variables in galaxies.

KW - Cepheids

KW - Galaxies: distances and redshifts

KW - Galaxies: individual (M100, NGC 4321)

KW - Stars: early type

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JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 PART 2

ER -

First Hubble Space Telescope observations of the brightest stars in the virgo galaxy M100 = NGC 4321

Abstract

Keywords

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