Abstract
Relatively few intensively star-forming galaxies at redshifts of z>2.5 have been found in the Hubble Deep Field (HDF). This has been interpreted to imply a low space density of elliptical galaxies at high z, possibly due to a late (z<2.5) epoch of formation or to dust obscuration of the ellipticals that are forming at z~3. I use Hubble Space Telescope UV (~2300 Å) images of 25 local early-type galaxies to investigate a third option, that ellipticals formed at z>4.5 and were fading passively by 2<z<4.5. Present-day early-type galaxies are faint and centrally concentrated in the UV. If elliptical galaxies formed their stars in a short burst at z>4.5 and have faded passively to their present brightnesses at UV wavelengths, they would generally be below the HDF detection limits in any of its bands at z>2.5. Quiescent z~3 ellipticals, if they exist, should turn up in sufficiently deep IR images.
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