Above is a partial map of the Virgo
Cluster, which is filled with galaxies. The blue boxes show some of
the locations where I have looked for intracluster planetary nebulae, stars
that have been removed from the galaxies where they were formed, and now
roam around in the cluster. This project was the topic of my dissertation.
This data was taken with the 4 meter telescope at Kitt
Peak National Observatory . If you are interested in related research,
click on the picture.
We have also been working on models of the intracluster light here in collaboration with John Dubinski and Cameron McBride.
We have also been working on models of the famous M51 interacting galaxy pair, using planetary nebulae as dynamical tracers.
In addition to this work, I have studied many galaxies and the intracluster
environment of the Virgo cluster using planetary nebulae as tracers. This
work was done with my thesis advisor, Dr.
Robin Ciardullo, at Penn State University, and George
Jacoby at the National Optical Astronomy Observatories. By using the
Planetary
Nebulae Luminosity Function (PNLF) you can estimate the distances to
galaxies, and tell something about their stellar populations.
| Last Modified: October 20 2004
Web Page by John Feldmeier johnfNOJUNK@eor.astr.cwru.edu Department of Astronomy Case Western Reserve University |
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