Open AccessA search for star formation around the Galactic halo B‐type star PHL 346 with the 2dF spectrograph
Author(s) -
Lynn B. B.,
Dufton P. L.,
Keenan F. P.,
Hambly N. C.,
Irwin M. J.,
Gilmore G.,
Rolleston W. R. J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05866.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , halo , star (game theory) , astronomy , spectrograph , galactic halo , intergalactic star , radial velocity , stars , star formation , spectral line , galaxy , lenticular galaxy
A preliminary search for stars that may have formed coevally with the apparently young halo B‐type star PHL 346 has been performed with the 2dF multifibre spectrograph on the Anglo‐Australian Telescope (AAT). Candidates were selected for spectroscopy from APM scans of B and R Schmidt plates centred on PHL 346. A total of 476 stars of spectral type A or F were found; radial velocity estimates and more accurate spectral type assignments narrowed the number of possible coeval candidates to 6 A‐type and 14 F‐type stars. A statistical analysis of these results using a comparison with a control field suggests that the number of A‐type or F‐type candidate stars around PHL 346 is not unexpected, and that they need not be associated with PHL 346. A number of ways to improve the project are suggested.