We present new results of our wide-field redshift survey of galaxies in a 182 square degree region of the Shapley Supercluster (SSC) based on observations with the FLAIR-II spectrograph on the UK Schmidt Telescope. We present new measurements to give a total sample of redshifts for 710 bright (R<16.6) galaxies, of which 464 are members of the SSC (8000<v<18000 kms). Our data reveal that the main plane of the SSC extends further than previously realised, filling the whole extent of our survey region of 10 degrees by 20 degrees on the sky (35 Mpc by 70 Mpc). There is also a significant structure associated with the slightly nearer Abell 3571 cluster complex with a caustic structure evident out to a radius of 6 Mpc. These galaxies seem to link two previously identified sheets of galaxies and establish a connection with a third one at v=15000 kms. They also tend to fill the gap of galaxies between the foreground Hydra-Centaurus region and the more distant SSC. We calculate galaxy overdensities of 5.0+/-0.1 over the 182 square degree region surveyed and 3.3+/-0.1 in a 159 square degree region excluding rich clusters.
تحميل البحث