SBS 0335–052W: The Lowest Metallicity Star-forming Galaxy Known

We present 4 m Kitt Peak telescope and 6.5 m MMT spectrophotometry of the extremely low metallicity galaxy SBS 0335-052W, the western companion of the blue compact dwarf galaxy SBS 0335-052E. These observations have been combined with published 10 m Keck data to derive for the brightest region of SB...

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Veröffentlicht in:	The Astrophysical journal 2005-10, Vol.632 (1), p.210-216
Hauptverfasser:	Izotov, Yuri I, Thuan, Trinh X, Guseva, Natalia G
Format:	Artikel
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	Astronomy Earth, ocean, space Exact sciences and technology
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Zusammenfassung:	We present 4 m Kitt Peak telescope and 6.5 m MMT spectrophotometry of the extremely low metallicity galaxy SBS 0335-052W, the western companion of the blue compact dwarf galaxy SBS 0335-052E. These observations have been combined with published 10 m Keck data to derive for the brightest region of SBS 0335-052W an oxygen abundance 12 + log O/H = 7.12 c 0.03. This makes SBS 0335-052W the lowest metallicity star-forming galaxy known in the local universe. Using a Monte Carlo technique, we fit the spectral energy distribution of SBS 0335-052W to derive the age of the oldest stars contributing to its optical light. We find that star formation in SBS 0335-052W began less than 500 Myr ago, making it a likely nearby young dwarf galaxy.
ISSN:	0004-637X 1538-4357
DOI:	10.1086/432874