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The Population I Core of the Galaxy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2016

David Allen
Affiliation:
Anglo-Australian Observatory, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 2121
Michael Burton
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052

Abstract

We demonstrate the presence of a cluster of hot, population I stars at the very centre of the Galaxy, using the depth of the first overtone band of CO and the presence of emission in He I 2 ·058 μm and [Fell] 1·644μm to identify stars. The cluster is very compact and comprises at least several hundred stars. They lie close to the nonthermal radio source Sgr A* and dominate the luminosity and mass loss of the Galactic core. Their presence suggests that a starburst occurred at the Galactic centre.

Type
Galactic and Stellar
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 1994

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References

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