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The Stellar Populations of M32: Resolving the nearest elliptical with HST ACS/HRC

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 April 2010

Antonela Monachesi ,
S. C. Trager ,
Tod R. Lauer ,
Wendy Freedman ,
Alan Dressler ,
Carl Grillmair  and
Kenneth Mighell
Antonela Monachesi
Affiliation:
Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands email: monachesi@astro.rug.nl
S. C. Trager
Affiliation:
Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands email: monachesi@astro.rug.nl
Tod R. Lauer
Affiliation:
NOAO
Wendy Freedman
Affiliation:
OCIW
Alan Dressler
Affiliation:
OCIW
Carl Grillmair
Affiliation:
Caltech
Kenneth Mighell
Affiliation:
NOAO
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Abstract

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We present the deepest colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) of M32 to date, obtained from deep (F435W, F555W) photometry of HST ACS/HRC images. Due to the high resolution of our images, the small photometric errors, and the completeness level of our data we obtain the most detailed resolved photometric study of M32 to date. The CMD of M32 displays a wide colour distribution of red giant branch stars, mainly due to a metallicity spread, a strong red clump and bright asymptotic giant branch stars. The detection of a “blue plume” in M32 indicates the presence of a very young stellar population. There is not a noticeable presence of blue horizontal branch stars, suggesting that an old population with [Fe/H] < −1.5 does not significantly contribute to the light or mass of M32 in our observed fields.

Keywords

Local Groupgalaxies: individual: M32galaxies: elliptical and lenticularcDgalaxies: stellar contentstars: evolution
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 5 , Symposium S262: Stellar Populations – Planning for the Next Decade , August 2009 , pp. 135 - 138
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

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