A new population of extended, luminous star clusters in the halo of M31


Abstract in English

We present three new clusters discovered in the halo of M31 which, although having globular-like colours and luminosities,have an unusually large half-light radii, ~30 pc. They lie at projected galactocentric distances of approx. 15 to 35 kpc. These objects begin to fill the gap in parameter space between globular clusters and dwarf spheroidals, and are unlike any clusters found in the Milky Way, or elsewhere to date. Basic photometric and derived King profile fit parameters are given, and we discuss possible origins and their relationships to other populations.

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