Stellar Subsystems of the Galaxy NGC 2366

TL;DR

This study uses Hubble data to analyze the stellar distribution in galaxy NGC 2366, identifying its thin and thick disks and evidence of a stellar halo, revealing its structural components.

Contribution

It provides detailed measurements of the sizes and boundaries of the galaxy's stellar subsystems, including the thin disk, thick disk, and halo, based on star density variations.

Findings

Thin disk size: 4 kpc

Thick disk size: 8 kpc

Evidence of a stellar halo beyond the thick disk

Abstract

Hubble Space Telescope archive data are used to perform photometry of stars in seven fields at the center and periphery of the galaxy NGC2366. The variation of the number density of stars of various ages with galactocentric radius and along the minor axis of the galaxy are determined. The boundaries of the thin and thick disks of the galaxy are found. The inferred sizes of the subsystems of NGC2366 ($Z_{thin} = 4$ kpc and $Z_{thick} = 8$ kpc for the thin and thick disks, respectively) are more typical for spiral galaxies. Evidence for a stellar halo is found at the periphery of NGC2366 beyond the thick disk of the galaxy.