VVV CL001
| VVVCL001 | |
|---|---|
 A image from the Vista Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey showing VVV CL001 located inconspicuously to the left while UKS 1 is on the right | |
| Observation data | |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Right ascension | 17h 54m 37.17s |
| Declination | -24° 4' 51.34" |
| Distance | 26,800 ly (8.22 kpc) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Estimated age | 11.9 gya |
| Notable features | One of the most metal poor globular clusters |
VVV CL001 is a globular cluster located around 8.22 kiloparsecs from Earth in the constellation of Sagittarius.[1] It is the most metal poor globular cluster discovered around the Milky Way. [2] It is an old globular cluster with an age of 11.9 billion years. VVV CL001 is likely an ancient relic that was left behind by a past galactic merger by a massive galaxy early in the evolution of the Milky Way galaxy.[2] It has a mass of 1.5x10^5 solar masses.[3]
It may be in a physical binary with another globular cluster known as UKS 1 however it is still being decided if they are an actual binary or have similar radial velocity.[4]
Discovery
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VVV CL001 was discovered by using the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey. It has several aims such as resolving the three-dimensional structure of the Milky Way galaxy by precisely measuring the distribution of RR Lyrae, Cepheids, and red clump stars.[5] Another aim of the VVV survey is to accurately measure the physical parameters of known globular clusters and search for new ones. It was this which discovered VVV CL001.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ information@eso.org. "VISTA view of the newly discovered globular cluster VVV CL001 and its brighter companion". www.eso.org (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ a b Fernández-Trincado, José G.; Minniti, Dante; Souza, Stefano O.; Beers, Timothy C.; Geisler, Doug; Bidin, Christian Moni; Villanova, Sandro; Majewski, Steven R.; Barbuy, Beatriz (2021-02-03), VVV CL001: Likely the Most Metal-Poor Surviving Globular Cluster in the Inner Galaxy, arXiv, doi:10.48550/arXiv.2102.01088, arXiv:2102.01088, retrieved 2025-06-12
- ^ "VVV-CL001". people.smp.uq.edu.au. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ a b Minniti, D.; Hempel, M.; Toledo, I.; Ivanov, V. D.; Alonso-García, J.; Saito, R. K.; Catelan, M.; Geisler, D.; Jordán, A.; Borissova, J.; Zoccali, M.; Kurtev, R.; Carraro, G.; Barbuy, B.; Clariá, J. (2011-03-01). "Discovery of VVV CL001 - A low-mass globular cluster next to UKS 1 in the direction of the Galactic bulge". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 527: A81. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201015795. ISSN 0004-6361.
- ^ Saito, R. K.; Hempel, M.; Alonso-García, J.; Lucas, P. W.; Minniti, D.; Alonso, S.; Baravalle, L.; Borissova, J.; Caceres, C.; Chené, A. N.; Cross, N. J. G.; Duplancic, F.; Garro, E. R.; Gómez, M.; Ivanov, V. D. (2024-09-01). "The VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea extended (VVVX) ESO public survey: Completion of the observations and legacy". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 689: A148. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450584. ISSN 0004-6361.