ABSTRACT
The ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury (ANGST) is a systematic survey to establish a legacy of uniform multi-color photometry of resolved stars for a volume-limited sample of nearby galaxies (D < 4 Mpc). The survey volume encompasses 69 galaxies in diverse environments, including close pairs, small and large groups, filaments, and truly isolated regions. The galaxies include a nearly complete range of morphological types spanning a factor of ∼104 in luminosity and star formation rate. The survey data consist of images taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), supplemented with archival data and new Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) imaging taken after the failure of ACS. Survey images include wide field tilings covering the full radial extent of each galaxy, and single deep pointings in uncrowded regions of the most massive galaxies in the volume. The new wide field imaging in ANGST reaches median 50% completenesses of mF475W = 28.0 mag, mF606W = 27.3 mag, and mF814W = 27.3 mag, several magnitudes below the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB). The deep fields reach magnitudes sufficient to fully resolve the structure in the red clump. The resulting photometric catalogs are publicly accessible and contain over 34 million photometric measurements of >14 million stars. In this paper we present the details of the sample selection, imaging, data reduction, and the resulting photometric catalogs, along with an analysis of the photometric uncertainties (systematic and random), for both ACS and WFPC2 imaging. We also present uniformly derived relative distances measured from the apparent magnitude of the TRGB.
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1. INTRODUCTION
The study of nearby galaxies has been revolutionized by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The high spatial resolutions of the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) and the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) reveal individual stars and parsec-scale structures, permitting studies of stellar populations, star formation histories (SFHs), and stellar clusters for galaxies out to several megaparsecs. However, despite the large number of HST projects on these topics, past observations have been piecemeal and lack a unifying, coherent observational strategy in spite of the considerable overlap in the core scientific goals of many of the projects. Within a single galaxy, or from galaxy to galaxy, the locations of the HST exposures have been chaotic (having been chosen independently and for different purposes), and the filters and depths of the exposures have been highly variable. While past observations have provided dramatic insights into the SFHs of individual systems, the resulting archive complicates any uniform comparative study of galaxies in the local universe and dramatically reduces the scientific legacy of this data set.
The ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury (ANGST) program aims to rectify this situation by creating a uniform, multi-color archive of observations of resolved stellar populations within a volume-limited sample of nearby galaxies. The survey provides complete and unbiased sampling of the local universe, thereby maximizing the legacy impact of the resulting data set, and enabling meaningful comparisons among galaxies in the sample and with cosmological simulations. Within this volume, ANGST adds more than a hundred orbits of new high-quality observations, and provides uniform reduction and photometry of both the new and archival observations. The resulting survey now offers superb targets for future multi-wavelength surveys, including the VLA-ANGST survey (Ott et al. 2008) and the Spitzer Local Volume Legacy Survey (LVL; Kennicutt et al. 2007), by allowing one to tie the multi-wavelength observations to the local SFH revealed by ANGST.
In this paper we describe the survey design of ANGST, including the sample selection (Section 2), the observing strategy for new observations (tiling patterns, filter choices, exposure times, etc.) using both ACS (Section 3) and WFPC2 (Section 4), and the archival data employed by the survey (Section 5). We then present photometry for the survey galaxies for both ACS (Section 6) and WFPC2 (Section 7), tests of the photometric reliability (Section 8), astrometry (Section 9), and the resulting data products included in this data release (Section 10). In Section 11 we plot color–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) for all of the ANGST galaxies, and in Section 12 we measure colors and magnitudes for the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB), from which accurate relative distances are derived.
2. THE SAMPLE
2.1. Sample Selection
We drew the initial ANGST sample from the Karachentsev et al. (2004) Catalog of Neighboring Galaxies (CNG), updated with revised distances provided by Karachentsev. We restricted the catalog to galaxies beyond the zero velocity surface of the Local Group (van den Bergh 2000) due to the efficacy of ground-based observations within 2 Mpc and the large number of existing HST observations (e.g., Holtzman et al. 2006). We further restricted the sample to |b|>20° to avoid sample incompleteness at low Galactic latitudes.
The choice of a maximum distance for the sample required balancing our scientific goals against constructing an observationally efficient program. At large distances, a wider variety of galaxy environments can be sampled, at the expense of larger photometric errors due to increased crowding and longer exposure times. We adopted an initial outer radius cut of 3.5 Mpc, within which deep CMDs could be derived with only modest exposure times. However, the Local Volume contains mostly field galaxies until reaching the massive M81 group at ∼3.6 Mpc and the Cen A group at ∼3.7 Mpc. Scientifically, the case for including at least one of these groups is strong. Without them, the limited range of environments sampled by a D ≲ 3.5 Mpc sphere would preclude studies of correlations between SFH, galaxy morphology, and local environment. Of the two groups, the M81 group was judged to be the preferred target due to its high galactic latitude, low foreground extinction, and highly complete membership information. Galaxies in the M81 group were drawn from Karachentsev et al. (2002a), but do not include the newest candidate members reported in Chiboucas et al. (2009). We also included a second high-density environment centered on the NGC 253 clump (D ≈ 3.9 Mpc) in the Sculptor filament (Karachentsev et al. 2003), further increasing the range of environments probed. The extensions into the M81 group and NGC 253 clump of the Sculptor group also improves coverage of luminous galaxies that are poorly represented in the D < 3.5 Mpc volume.
The resulting sample of 69 galaxies is given in Table 1, along with the distances adopted during sample selection. Notable changes from the published version of the CNG include larger distances for UGC 8638, E059-01, and KKH60, which took them out of the sample, revised closer distances for NGC 4163 and DDO 183 which brought them into the sample, and elimination of HIJASS, which has no detectable stars. Distances for NGC 247, NGC 55, DDO 187, UGC 8833, HS117, and KKH37 were also revised according to new distances in Karachentsev (2005). Other data compiled in Table 1 include absolute total magnitudes in B, morphological T-types, angular diameters (D25 for large galaxies, D26.5 for some dwarfs), and H i line widths (W50); all these quantities are listed as originally compiled in the CNG, and details can be found in Karachentsev et al. (2004). We also include apparent total K-band magnitudes from the literature when available; these are included for completeness only, and no attempt has been made to bring these to a common aperture with the B-band magnitudes from the CNG. Table 1 also indicates the original planned observational strategy for the sample galaxies; as we discuss below, not all observations were carried out as planned due to the failure of ACS.
Table 1. ANGST Sample Galaxies and Planned Observations
Galaxy | Alt. Names | Dist. (Mpc) | R.A. (J2000) | Decl. (J2000) | Diam. (') | MB | mK | T | W50 km s-1 | Group | # Fields | Deep? | 3 Filt? | Arch? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antlia | 1.3 | 10:04:04.0 | −27:19:55 | 2.0 | −9.38 | 10 | 22 | 14+12 | 1 | Y | 10210 | |||
SexA | DDO75 | 1.3 | 10:11:00.8 | −04:41:34 | 5.5 | −13.71 | 10 | 63 | 14+12 | 7496a | ||||
N3109 | DDO236 | 1.3 | 10:03:07.2 | −26:09:36 | 17.0 | −15.18 | 9.3 | 9 | 116 | 14+12 | 3 | Y | Y | |
SexB | U5373 | 1.4 | 10:00:00.1 | 05:19:56 | 5.1 | −13.88 | 10 | 38 | 14+12 | 1 | Y | Y | ||
KKR25 | 1.9 | 16:13:47.6 | 54:22:16 | 1.1 | −9.94 | 10 | M31(p)? | 1 | Y | 8601a | ||||
KK230 | KKR3 | 1.9 | 14:07:10.7 | 35:03:37 | 0.6 | −8.49 | 10 | 21 | M31(p)? | 1 | Y | 9771 | ||
E410-005 | 1.9 | 00:15:31.4 | −32:10:48 | 1.3 | −11.49 | −1 | 14+13 | 10503 | ||||||
E294-010 | 1.9 | 00:26:33.3 | −41:51:20 | 1.1 | −10.86 | −3 | 14+13 | 10503 | ||||||
N55 | 2.1 | 00:15:08.5 | −39:13:13 | 32.4 | −17.77 | 6.3 | 8 | 172 | 14+13 | 5 | Y | Y | (9765) | |
I5152 | 2.1 | 22:02:41.9 | −51:17:43 | 5.2 | −15.55 | 9.3 | 10 | 91 | 14+13 | 1 | Y | Y | ||
GR8 | U8091 | 2.1 | 12:58:40.4 | 14:13:03 | 1.1 | −12.00 | 12.9 | 10 | 26 | 1 | Y | |||
N300 | 2.1 | 00:54:53.5 | −37:40:57 | 21.9 | −17.66 | 6.4 | 7 | 149 | 14+13 | 4 | Y | Y | (9492) | |
UA438 | E407-18 | 2.2 | 23:26:27.5 | −32:23:26 | 1.5 | −12.85 | 10 | 34 | 14+13 | 1 | Y | 8192a | ||
DDO187 | U9128 | 2.3 | 14:15:56.5 | 23:03:19 | 1.7 | −12.43 | 12.5 | 10 | 34 | 1 | Y | 10210 | ||
KKH98 | 2.5 | 23:45:34.0 | 38:43:04 | 1.1 | −10.29 | 10 | 22 | M31(p)? | 1 | |||||
DDO125 | U7577 | 2.5 | 12:27:41.8 | 43:29:38 | 4.3 | −14.04 | 10 | 30 | 14+07 | 1 | Y | 8601a | ||
U8508 | IZw60 | 2.6 | 13:30:44.4 | 54:54:36 | 1.7 | −12.95 | 12.0 | 10 | 49 | 14+07 | 1 | |||
KKH86 | 2.6 | 13:54:33.6 | 04:14:35 | 0.7 | −10.19 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 8601a | |||||
DDO99 | U6817 | 2.6 | 11:50:53.0 | 38:52:50 | 4.1 | −13.37 | 10 | 37 | 14+07 | 1 | 8601a | |||
DDO190 | U9240 | 2.8 | 14:24:43.5 | 44:31:33 | 1.8 | −14.14 | 10 | 45 | 14+08 | 1 | Y | |||
DDO113 | UA276 | 2.9 | 12:14:57.9 | 36:13:08 | 1.5 | −11.61 | 10 | 14+07 | 1 | |||||
N4214 | U7278 | 2.9 | 12:15:38.9 | 36:19:39 | 8.5 | −17.07 | 7.9 | 10 | 62 | 14+07 | 1 | Y | Y | |
DDO181 | U8651 | 3.0 | 13:39:53.8 | 40:44:21 | 2.3 | −12.94 | 10 | 39 | 14+08 | 1 | 10210 | |||
N3741 | U6572 | 3.0 | 11:36:06.4 | 45:17:07 | 2.0 | −13.01 | 12.2 | 10 | 81 | 14+07 | 1 | |||
N4163 | U7199 | 3.0 | 12:12:08.9 | 36:10:10 | 1.9 | −13.76 | 10.9 | 10 | 18 | 14+07 | 1 | Y | ||
N404 | U718 | 3.1 | 01:09:26.9 | 35:43:03 | 2.5 | −16.25 | 8.6 | −1 | 78 | 1 | Y | Y | ||
UA292 | CVnI-dwA | 3.1 | 12:38:40.0 | 32:46:00 | 1.0 | −11.36 | 10 | 27 | 1 | (10905) | ||||
U8833 | 3.1 | 13:54:48.7 | 35:50:15 | 0.9 | −12.31 | 10 | 28 | 14+08 | 1 | 10210 | ||||
DDO183 | U8760 | 3.2 | 13:50:51.1 | 38:01:16 | 2.2 | −13.08 | 9 | 14+08 | 1 | |||||
N2366 | U3851 | 3.2 | 07:28:52.0 | 69:12:19 | 7.3 | −15.85 | 10.6 | 10 | 96 | M81(p) | 10605 | |||
DDO44 | UA133 | 3.2 | 07:34:11.3 | 66:53:10 | 3.0 | −11.89 | −3 | M81(p) | 1 | |||||
E321-014 | 3.2 | 12:13:49.6 | −38:13:53 | 1.4 | −12.31 | 10 | 25 | CenA(p) | 1 | 8601a | ||||
U4483 | 3.2 | 08:37:03.0 | 69:46:31 | 1.2 | −12.58 | 10 | 33 | M81 | 8769a | |||||
N2403 | U3918 | 3.3 | 07:36:54.4 | 65:35:58 | 21.9 | −18.77 | 6.2 | 6 | 231 | M81 | 4 | Y | Y | 10182, 10579, 10523 |
DDO6 | UA15 | 3.3 | 00:49:49.3 | −21:00:58 | 1.7 | −12.40 | 10 | 22 | Scl | 1 | ||||
KKH37 | 3.4 | 06:47:45.8 | 80:07:26 | 1.2 | −11.26 | 10 | 20 | 1 | 9771 | |||||
HoII | U4305 | 3.4 | 08:19:05.9 | 70:42:51 | 7.9 | −16.57 | 8.8 | 10 | 66 | M81 | Y | Y | 10605 | |
KDG2 | E540-030,KK9 | 3.4 | 00:49:21.1 | −18:04:28 | 1.2 | −11.29 | −1 | Scl | 10503 | |||||
MCG9-20-131 | 3.4 | 12:15:46.7 | 52:23:15 | 1.2 | −12.36 | 10 | M81? | 1 | 10905b | |||||
E540-032 | 3.4 | 00:50:24.6 | −19:54:25 | 1.3 | −11.22 | −3 | Scl | 10503 | ||||||
FM1 | F6D1 | 3.4 | 09:45:25.6 | 68:45:27 | 0.9 | −10.16 | −3 | M81 | 9884 | |||||
KK77 | F12D1 | 3.5 | 09:50:10.0 | 67:30:24 | 2.4 | −11.42 | −3 | M81 | 9884 | |||||
KDG63 | U5428,DDO71 | 3.5 | 10:05:07.3 | 66:33:18 | 1.7 | −11.71 | −3 | 19 | M81 | 9884 | ||||
N4190 | U7232 | 3.5 | 12:13:44.6 | 36:38:00 | 1.7 | −14.20 | 10.8 | 10 | 46 | 1 | Y | 10905b | ||
M82 | N3034,U5322 | 3.5 | 09:55:53.9 | 69:40:57 | 11.2 | −18.66 | 4.7 | 8 | 147 | M81 | 1 | Y | Y | (10776) |
KDG52 | M81-Dwarf-A | 3.5 | 08:23:56.0 | 71:01:46 | 1.3 | −11.37 | 10 | 22 | M81 | 10605 | ||||
DDO53 | U4459 | 3.5 | 08:34:06.5 | 66:10:45 | 1.6 | −13.23 | 10 | 25 | M81 | 10605 | ||||
N2976 | U5221 | 3.6 | 09:47:15.6 | 67:54:49 | 5.9 | −16.77 | 7.5 | 5 | 97 | M81 | 1 | Y | Y | |
KDG61 | 3.6 | 09:57:02.7 | 68:35:30 | 2.4 | −12.54 | −1 | M81 | 9884 | ||||||
M81 | N3031,U5318 | 3.6 | 09:55:33.5 | 69:04:00 | 26.9 | −20.09 | 3.8 | 3 | 422 | M81 | 1 | Y | Y | (10250, 10584, 10523) |
N247 | UA11 | 3.6 | 00:47:08.3 | −20:45:36 | 15.4 | −17.92 | 7.4 | 7 | 210 | Scl | 4 | Y | Y | (9771) |
HoIX | U5336,DDO66,KDG62 | 3.7 | 09:57:32.4 | 69:02:35 | 2.5 | −13.31 | 10 | 69 | M81 | 10605 | ||||
KDG64 | U5442 | 3.7 | 10:07:01.9 | 67:49:39 | 1.9 | −12.32 | −3 | M81 | 9884 | |||||
IKN | 3.7 | 10:08:05.9 | 68:23:57 | 2.7 | −10.84 | −3 | M81 | 9771 | ||||||
KDG73 | 3.7 | 10:52:55.3 | 69:32:45 | 0.6 | −10.75 | 10 | 18 | M81 | 1 | |||||
DDO78 | 3.7 | 10:26:27.9 | 67:39:24 | 2.0 | −12.04 | −3 | M81 | 1 | ||||||
F8D1 | 3.8 | 09:44:47.1 | 67:26:19 | 5.5 | −12.20 | −3 | M81 | 5898a | ||||||
BK5N | 3.8 | 10:04:40.3 | 68:15:20 | 0.8 | −10.37 | −3 | M81 | ⋅⋅⋅ | 5898b, 6964a | |||||
N3077 | U5398 | 3.8 | 10:03:21.0 | 68:44:02 | 5.4 | −17.44 | 7.3 | 10 | 65 | M81 | 2 | Y | Y | (9381) |
HoI | U5139,DDO63 | 3.8 | 09:40:28.2 | 71:11:11 | 3.6 | −14.26 | 10 | 29 | M81 | ⋅⋅⋅ | Y | 10605 | ||
BK6N | 3.8 | 10:34:31.9 | 66:00:42 | 1.1 | −11.06 | −3 | M81 | 1 | ||||||
A0952+69 | 3.9 | 09:57:29.0 | 69:16:20 | 1.8 | −11.16 | 10 | M81 | 1 | ||||||
KKH57 | 3.9 | 10:00:16.0 | 63:11:06 | 0.6 | −10.09 | −3 | M81 | 1 | ||||||
N253 | UA13 | 3.9 | 00:47:34.3 | −25:17:32 | 26.7 | −20.04 | 3.8 | 5 | 410 | Scl | 6 | Y | Y | |
HS117 | 4.0 | 10:21:25.2 | 71:06:58 | 1.5 | −11.51 | 10 | 13 | M81 | 1 | 9771 | ||||
DDO82 | U5692 | 4.0 | 10:30:35.0 | 70:37:10 | 3.4 | −14.44 | 9 | M81 | 1 | Y | ||||
BK3N | 4.0 | 09:53:48.5 | 68:58:09 | 0.5 | −9.23 | 10 | 15 | M81 | 1 | |||||
I2574 | U5666,DDO81 | 4.0 | 10:28:22.4 | 68:24:58 | 13.2 | −17.17 | 10.7 | 9 | 115 | M81 | 9755,10605 | |||
Sc22 | Sc-dE1 | 4.2 | 00:23:51.7 | −24:42:18 | 0.9 | −10.39 | 10 | Scl | 10503 |
Notes. Distances, MB, W50, and T-type taken from CNG; values for mK are total K magnitudes from either the 2MASS Large Galaxy Atlas (Jarrett et al. 2003) or from Vaduvescu et al. (2005) for dwarfs; Group membership from Karachentsev (2005) or Tully et al. (2006); # of ANGST Pointings includes any planned deep fields; Deep column indicates planned observations that would reach high completeness in the red clump; note that not all planned observations were executed, due to ACS failure—actual observations are given in Table 2; 3 filter column indicates observations made in F475W+F606W+F814W, rather than default F475W+F606W for dwarfs; Archival lists Proposal ID of archival data to be used, with entries in parentheses indicating that archival data will be supplemented with new observations; H i detection for KKR25 in the CNG was not confirmed in later GMRT observations (Begum & Chengalur 2005); (a) WFPC2 Archival data.
Table 2. ANGST Observations
Field Name | R.A. (J2000) | Decl. (J2000) | V3 PA (deg) | Aperture | Date Range | Instr. | Filter | Exptime (s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NGC 3109-WIDE1 | 10 02 41.8 | −26 08 58 | 95.001 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-11-02 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 |
F814W | 3900 | |||||||
NGC 3109-WIDE2 | 10 02 49.9 | −26 09 07 | 95.001 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-11-08 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 |
F814W | 3900 | |||||||
NGC 3109-WIDE3 | 10 02 57.81 | −26 09 16.4 | 95.001 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-11-06 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2400 |
F814W | 2400 | |||||||
NGC 3109-WIDE4 | 10 03 05.81 | −26 09 25.6 | 95.001 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-11-10 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2400 |
F814W | 2400 | |||||||
NGC 3109-DEEP | 10 02 34.1 | −26 09 23 | 123.658 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-12-20 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 |
F814W | 3900 | |||||||
SEXB-DEEP | 10 00 03.9 | +05 19 29 | 112.614 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-12-12 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 |
F814W | 3900 | |||||||
NGC 0055-WIDE1 | 00 14 15.4 | −39 09 45 | 101.142 | WFALL | 2007-07-28 | WFPC2 | F606W | 900 |
F814W | 2600 | |||||||
2008-07-06 | WFPC2 | F606W | 1100 | |||||
F814W | 1100 | |||||||
NGC 0055-WIDE2 | 00 14 20.0 | −39 09 56 | 101.141 | WFALL | 2008-07-04 | WFPC2 | F606W | 1800 |
F814W | 2600 | |||||||
NGC 0055-WIDE3 | 00 14 28.9 | −39 10 18 | 101.142 | WFALL | 2007-08-07 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 |
F814W | 3900 | |||||||
NGC 0055-WIDE4 | 00 14 37.2 | −39 10 42 | 104.002 | WFALL | 2007-08-09 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 |
F814W | 3900 | |||||||
NGC 0055-WIDE5 | 00 15 10.4 | −39 12 58 | 101.142 | WFALL | 2007-08-06 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 |
F814W | 3900 | |||||||
NGC 0055-DEEP | 00 13 44.4 | −39 07 43 | 58.335 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-06-02 | WFPC2 | F606W | 4800 |
F814W | 9600 | |||||||
IC5152-DEEP | 22 03 12.0 | −51 18 33 | 76.003 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-06-19 | WFPC2 | F606W | 4800 |
2007-06-20 | F814W | 9600 | ||||||
GR8 | 12 58 40.94 | +14 13 00.6 | 112.560 | WFC1-FIX | 2007-01-03 | ACS | F475W | 2244 |
F814W | 2259 | |||||||
NGC 0300-WIDE1 | 00 54 21.5 | −37 37 58 | 209.925 | WFCENTER | 2006-11-10 | ACS | F475W | 1488 |
F606W | 1515 | |||||||
F814W | 1542 | |||||||
NGC 0300-WIDE2 | 00 54 34.8 | −37 39 27 | 209.925 | WFCENTER | 2006-11-08 | ACS | F475W | 1488 |
F606W | 1515 | |||||||
F814W | 1542 | |||||||
NGC 0300-WIDE3 | 00 54 47.8 | −37 40 53 | 209.925 | WFCENTER | 2006-11-09 | ACS | F475W | 1488 |
F606W | 1515 | |||||||
F814W | 1542 | |||||||
KKH98 | 23 45 34.19 | +38 43 10.1 | 230.070 | WFC1-FIX | 2007-01-02 | ACS | F475W | 2265 |
F814W | 2280 | |||||||
UGC8508 | 13 30 44.95 | +54 54 37.1 | 122.276 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-12-21 | ACS | F475W | 2280 |
F814W | 2349 | |||||||
DDO190 | 14 24 43.72 | +44 31 35.2 | 158.711 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-11-21 | ACS | F475W | 2274 |
2006-11-22 | F606W | 2301 | ||||||
F814W | 2265 | |||||||
DDO113 | 12 14 58.28 | +36 13 03.1 | 137.247 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-11-03 | ACS | F475W | 2265 |
F814W | 2280 | |||||||
NGC 4214-DEEP | 12 15 22.9 | +36 21 50 | 119.879 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-12-04 | WFPC2 | F606W | 15600 |
2007-12-23 | F814W | 31200 | ||||||
NGC 3741 | 11 36 06.46 | +45 17 03.4 | 134.012 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-11-01 | ACS | F475W | 2262 |
F814W | 2331 | |||||||
NGC 4163 | 12 12 09.57 | +36 10 07.0 | 116.647 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-12-08 | ACS | F475W | 2265 |
F814W | 2250 | |||||||
F606W | 2292 | |||||||
NGC 0404-DEEP | 01 09 16.9 | +35 44 51 | 49.998 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-08-08 | WFPC2 | F606W | 39000 |
2007-09-19 | F814W | 75400 | ||||||
UGCA292 | 12 38 40.43 | +32 45 58.5 | 121.996 | WFC1-FIX | 2007-01-01 | ACS | F475W | 2250 |
F814W | 2274 | |||||||
DDO44 | 07 34 12.48 | +66 53 08.4 | 112.749 | WFC-FIX | 2006-09-21 | ACS | F475W | 2361 |
F814W | 2430 | |||||||
NGC 2403-DEEP | 07 38 05.5 | +65 30 16.0 | 69.995 | WFALL-FIX | 2007-11-26 | WFPC2 | F606W | 32400 |
2007-12-01 | F814W | 62100 | ||||||
DDO6 | 00 49 49.69 | −21 01 00.5 | 121.489 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-09-19 | ACS | F475W | 2250 |
F814W | 2268 | |||||||
KKH37 | 06 47 47.64 | +80 07 29.7 | 58.707 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-11-10 | ACS | F475W | 2469 |
F814W | 2541 | |||||||
NGC 2976-WIDE1 | 09 47 17.0 | +67 53 58 | 52.756 | WFCENTER | 2006-12-30 | ACS | F475W | 1570 |
F606W | 1596 | |||||||
F814W | 1622 | |||||||
NGC 2976-DEEP | 09 47 36.6 | +67 51 25 | 51.353 | WFCENTER | 2006-12-27 | ACS | F475W | 2418 |
2007-01-10 | F606W | 18816 | ||||||
F814W | 27191 | |||||||
M81-DEEP | 09 54 34.7 | +69 16 50 | 89.814 | WFCENTER | 2006-11-16 | ACS | F475W | 2418 |
2006-11-20 | F606W | 24232 | ||||||
F814W | 29953 | |||||||
NGC 0247-WIDE1 | 00 47 19.06 | −20 52 12.2 | 167.978 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-22 | ACS | F475W | 2253 |
F606W | 2280 | |||||||
F814W | 2250 | |||||||
NGC 0247-WIDE2 | 00 47 12.5 | −20 49 14 | 167.979 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-20 | ACS | F475W | 1480 |
F606W | 1507 | |||||||
F814W | 1534 | |||||||
NGC 0247-WIDE3 | 00 47 10.4 | −20 46 09 | 167.979 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-21 | ACS | F475W | 1480 |
F606W | 1507 | |||||||
F814W | 1534 | |||||||
KDG73 | 10 52 58.54 | +69 32 52.1 | 71.609 | WFC1-FIX | 2007-01-01 | ACS | F475W | 2250 |
F814W | 2274 | |||||||
DDO78 | 10 26 29.17 | +67 39 12.1 | 130.158 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-10-18 | ACS | F475W | 2274 |
F814W | 2292 | |||||||
NGC 3077-WIDE1 | 10 03 28.4 | +68 43 53 | 153.086 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-21 | ACS | F475W | 1570 |
F606W | 1596 | |||||||
F814W | 1622 | |||||||
A0952+69 | 09 57 36.08 | +69 16 59.5 | 148.862 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-09-22 | ACS | F475W | 2250 |
F814W | 2265 | |||||||
NGC 0253-WIDE1 | 00 48 19.59 | −25 08 51.2 | 144.990 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-19 | ACS | F475W | 2256 |
F606W | 2283 | |||||||
F814W | 2253 | |||||||
NGC 0253-WIDE2 | 00 48 08.7 | −25 10 48 | 139.995 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-08 | ACS | F475W | 1482 |
F606W | 1508 | |||||||
F814W | 1534 | |||||||
NGC 0253-WIDE3 | 00 47 57.9 | −25 12 48 | 159.219 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-15 | ACS | F475W | 1482 |
F606W | 1508 | |||||||
F814W | 1534 | |||||||
NGC 0253-WIDE4 | 00 47 47.2 | −25 14 46 | 140.893 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-09 | ACS | F475W | 1482 |
F606W | 1508 | |||||||
F814W | 1534 | |||||||
NGC 0253-WIDE5 | 00 47 36.4 | −25 16 46 | 139.995 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-13 | ACS | F475W | 1482 |
F606W | 1508 | |||||||
F814W | 1534 | |||||||
DDO82 | 10 30 37.80 | +70 37 13.0 | 157.574 | WFC-FIX | 2006-09-22 | ACS | F475W | 2400 |
F606W | 2454 | |||||||
F814W | 2442 | |||||||
BK3N | 09 53 47.81 | +68 58 06.7 | 148.844 | WFC1-FIX | 2006-09-20 | ACS | F475W | 2250 |
F814W | 2265 |
Notes. All data is from GO-10915, except NGC 55 and NGC 3109 wide fields, which are from DD-11307. Entries with reduced precision in the listings for R.A. and decl. indicate a representative center for dithered observations. Multiple dates for a given field indicate the start times for the earliest and the latest observations of that field. Note that many fine guidance sensor problems occurred during observations for GO-10915, and that not all data in the archive under this PID is useable; only high quality observations are included in this table.
2.2. Properties of the Final Sample
The volume-limited sample defined above contains a rich assortment of galaxies. The range of distances, luminosities (in B and K), and morphological types of the sample galaxies can be seen in Figure 1. Galaxy absolute magnitudes span from brighter than MB = −20 (M81 and NGC 253, the dominant galaxies in the M81 group and the Sculptor filament), down to fainter than MB = −9, comparable to the Carina dwarf spheroidal in the Local Group. K-band total magnitudes were adopted from Jarrett et al. (2003) or Vaduvescu et al. (2005) when available, or inferred from B-band magnitudes assuming B − K ∼ 2.86, based on the estimates in Mannucci et al. (2001) for dwarf irregular spectral types.
As for any volume-limited sample, the distribution of luminosities is strongly weighted toward dwarf systems. Roughly 90% of the galaxies in the ANGST volume are fainter than the Large Magellanic Cloud, and 80% are fainter than the Small Magellanic Cloud. Integrating the luminosities of the galaxies, 99% of the B-band luminosity is contained in galaxies brighter than MB = −13.7 (33% by number). In the K band, which presumably is a better tracer of the stellar mass, 99% of the luminosity is contained within only 17% of the galaxies (MK < −17.5). The large number of low-luminosity systems is also reflected in the distribution of morphological types. Only 17% of the galaxies have morphological types characteristic of spirals (1 ⩽ T ⩽ 9), while 58% are classified as dwarf irregulars and 25% as dwarf ellipticals. In spite of the large population of dwarf ellipticals, there are no massive early types in the sample. NGC 404 is classified as an S0, but has relatively low luminosity and an extended gas disk (del Río et al. 2004). The earliest massive spiral in the sample is M81, with a morphological type of Sab.
The sample galaxies reside in diverse environments. There are at least four distinct groups with a range of richnesses—the dwarf dominated NGC 3109 group, two clumps in the Sculptor filament (one at NGC 55/NGC 300 and one at NGC 253/NGC 247), and the rich M81 group. Several of Tully et al. (2006)'s "dwarf groups" are also included in the ANGST survey volume (14+12, 14+13 14+07, 14+08; the first two are the NGC 3109 and NGC 55/NGC 300 groups mentioned above). Group membership is also included in Table 1. Some of these groups can be seen in Figure 2, where we show the three-dimensional distribution of the survey galaxies, using updated distances from Section 12.19
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Standard image High-resolution image3. ACS OBSERVING STRATEGY
When designing an observing strategy for the ANGST sample, we balanced the limited number of orbits (295, down from an initial request of 555) against the goal of simultaneously recovering the SFH of the volume and establishing a general purpose imaging archive. We aimed to maximize uniformity, depth, and versatility, while making efficient use of the allocated orbits and the data already in the archive.
As part of this strategy, we chose to allocate a larger fraction of the orbits to the galaxies with the most stars, which contained either 99% of the stars or 99% of the recently formed stars. These galaxies fall to the right of the vertical lines in the right- and left-hand panels of Figure 1.
The full radial extent of all galaxies was imaged in at least two filters. For dwarfs, these wide field tiles could be acquired in a single pointing. Larger, angularly extended galaxies were each imaged with a radial strip of overlapping ACS tiles extending from the galaxy's center to its outskirts. In addition to the wide fields, deep fields with high completeness in the red clump were planned for the 12 galaxies that dominate the K-band luminosity of the ANGST volume; this depth provides strong constraints on the ancient SFH (e.g., Dolphin 2002). Another 16 galaxies within ∼2.5 Mpc would reach a comparable depth from their wide field tilings alone. In addition to the two filters in the standard wide field tilings, the 23 galaxies that dominate the recent star formation density (as assessed in the B band) would be imaged in three filters to permit extinction corrections and multi-wavelength source identification. Finally, archival imaging of comparable depth to the new observations would be used when possible.
We now discuss the details of the wide-field tilings, the deep fields, the choice of filters, and the exposure times. In Section 4, we discuss how this strategy was modified after ACS failed during our program's execution.
3.1. Wide Field Tiling
The wide field tilings were designed for efficient multi-filter coverage of each galaxy's radial extent. Thanks to ACS's large field of view (FOV), dwarf galaxies could be imaged with a single pointing. For smaller dwarf galaxies, the galaxy center was aligned with the center of the WFC1 chip to avoid the chip gap's occluding the center of the galaxy. For the larger dwarf galaxies DDO 44 and DDO 82, the center was placed slightly above the chip gap. For galaxies whose radial extents were larger than could be imaged in a single pointing, we adopted a set of radial tiles extending from the center of the galaxy out to the position of the deep field, along the major axis in whichever direction required the smallest number of tiles. To allow flexible telescope scheduling, the tiles were allowed to be at any multiple of a 90° rotation from the major axis, with a ±5° leeway. Adjacent tiles were overlapped by 22'' to allow complete coverage throughout the permitted range of telescope roll angles. All tiles were dithered to fill the chip gap and to remove cosmic rays and hot pixels. In the ANGST target naming scheme, tiles are numbered from the outermost tile inward. The resulting field locations are shown superimposed on images from the Digitized Sky Survey in Figures 3–6, for both the ANGST observations and the archival observations described below (Tables 2 and 3).
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Standard image High-resolution imageDownload figure:
Standard image High-resolution imageDownload figure:
Standard image High-resolution imageDownload figure:
Standard image High-resolution imageTable 3. Archival Observations
Catalog Name | Target Name | PID | R.A. (J2000) | Decl. (J2000) | Ang. Sep. (') | V3 PA (deg) | Aperture | Date Range | Instr. | Filter | Exptime (s) | Literature CMD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antlia | ANTLIA | 10210 | 10 04 03.77 | −27 19 47.2 | 0.14 | 247.479 | WFC1 | 2005-04-02 | ACS | F814W | 1174 | 1 |
F606W | 985 | |||||||||||
SexA | DDO75 | 7496 | 10 10 56.9 | −04 41 30 | 0.983 | 287.891 | WF3-FIX | 1999-04-05 | WFPC2 | F555W | 19200 | 2 |
1999-04-08 | F814W | 38400 | ||||||||||
KKR25 | KKR25 | 8601 | 16 13 47.47 | +54 21 27.7 | 0.83 | 358.523 | WF3-FIX | 2001-05-28 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 9 |
F814W | 600 | |||||||||||
KK230 | KK230 | 9771 | 14 07 10.70 | +35 03 37.0 | 0.00 | 18.337 | WFC | 2004-04-06 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 3 |
F814W | 900 | |||||||||||
E410-005 | ESO410-005 | 10503 | 00 15 31.4 | −32 10 47 | 0.02 | ∼44 | WFC | 2006-05-05 | ACS | F606W | 26880 | |
2006-05-10 | F814W | 53760 | ||||||||||
E294-010 | ESO294-010 | 10503 | 00 26 33.4 | −41 51 19 | 0.03 | ∼37 | WFC | 2006-05-03 | ACS | F606W | 27840 | |
2006-05-05 | F814W | 55680 | ||||||||||
N55 | NGC 0055 | 9765 | 00 14 53.60 | −39 11 48.0 | 3.21 | 174.052 | WFCENTER | 2003-09-23 | ACS | F606W | 400 | 5 |
F814W | 676 | |||||||||||
N55 | NGC 0055-DISK | 9765 | 00 15 31.03 | −39 14 12.0 | 4.47 | 245.349 | WFCENTER | 2003-12-16 | ACS | F606W | 676 | 5 |
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
N300 | NGC 300-1 | 9492 | 00 55 34.12 | −37 41 25.4 | 8.05 | 80.254 | WFC | 2002-07-17 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 6,7 |
F555W | 1080 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1440 | |||||||||||
N300 | NGC 300-2 | 9492 | 00 54 51.93 | −37 38 56.1 | 2.04 | 92.050 | WFC | 2002-07-19 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 6,7 |
F555W | 1080 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1440 | |||||||||||
N300 | NGC 300-3 | 9492 | 00 54 55.32 | −37 41 48.9 | 0.94 | 171.953 | WFC | 2002-09-28 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 6,7 |
F555W | 1080 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1440 | |||||||||||
N300 | NGC 300-4 | 9492 | 00 54 23.12 | −37 34 19.9 | 8.94 | 80.060 | WFC | 2002-07-21 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 6,7 |
F555W | 1080 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1440 | |||||||||||
N300 | NGC 300-5 | 9492 | 00 54 28.11 | −37 38 56.8 | 5.41 | 240.928 | WFC | 2002-12-25 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 6,7 |
F555W | 1080 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1440 | |||||||||||
N300 | NGC 300-6 | 9492 | 00 54 26.95 | −37 44 11.2 | 6.17 | 168.956 | WFC | 2002-09-26 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 6,7 |
F555W | 1080 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1440 | |||||||||||
UA438 | E407-G18 | 8192 | 23 26 30.92 | −32 22 44.4 | 0.926 | 224.243 | WF3-FIX | 1999-10-23 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 10 |
F814W | 600 | |||||||||||
DDO187 | UGC9128 | 10210 | 14 15 56.57 | +23 03 24.6 | 0.09 | 286.046 | WFC1 | 2004-07-28 | ACS | F606W | 985 | 1 |
F814W | 1174 | |||||||||||
DDO125 | UGC7577 | 8601 | 12 27 45.64 | +43 29 17.0 | 0.779 | 293.217 | WF3-FIX | 2001-06-19 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 10 |
F814W | 600 | |||||||||||
KKH86 | KKH71 | 8601 | 13 54 36.15 | +04 14 08.1 | 0.786 | 301.415 | WF3-FIX | 2001-06-10 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 10 |
F814W | 600 | |||||||||||
DDO99 | UGC6817 | 8601 | 11 50 56.60 | +38 52 30.7 | 0.809 | 292.285 | WF3-FIX | 2001-06-12 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 10 |
F814W | 600 | |||||||||||
DDO181 | UGC8651 | 10210 | 13 39 53.82 | +40 44 20.7 | 0.01 | 269.263 | WFC1 | 2004-08-06 | ACS | F606W | 1016 | 1 |
F814W | 1209 | |||||||||||
UA292 | UGCA-292 | 10905 | 12 38 40.01 | +32 46 01.0 | 0.02 | 121.995 | WFC1 | 2006-12-14 | ACS | F606W | 926 | |
U8833 | UGC8833 | 10210 | 13 54 48.67 | +35 50 14.7 | 0.01 | 279.439 | WFC | 2004-07-31 | ACS | F606W | 998 | 1 |
F814W | 1189 | |||||||||||
DDO183 | UGC8760 | 10210 | 13 50 50.98 | +38 01 08.0 | 0.14 | 274.638 | WFC1 | 2004-08-03 | ACS | F606W | 998 | 1 |
F814W | 1189 | |||||||||||
N2366 | NGC-2366-1 | 10605 | 07 28 43.5 | +69 11 22 | 1.19 | 74.02 | WFC | 2006-11-10 | ACS | F555W | 9560 | 4 |
F814W | 9560 | |||||||||||
N2366 | NGC-2366-2 | 10605 | 07 29 00.0 | +69 14 05.2 | 1.91 | 95.85 | WFC | 2006-11-11 | ACS | F555W | 9560 | 4 |
F814W | 9560 | |||||||||||
E321-014 | PGC39032 | 8601 | 12 13 51.38 | −38 14 33.8 | 0.780 | 330.277 | WF3-FIX | 2000-09-01 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 11 |
F814W | 600 | |||||||||||
U4483 | UGC4483 | 8769 | 08 37 05.40 | +69 46 13.6 | 0.357 | 164.556 | PC1 | 2000-08-12 | WFPC2 | F555W | 9500 | 12, 13 |
F814W | 6000 | |||||||||||
N2403 | SN-NGC2403-PR | 10182 | 07 36 57.22 | +65 36 21.5 | 0.49 | 140.028 | WFC | 2004-08-17 | ACS | F475W | 1200 | |
F606W | 700 | |||||||||||
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
N2403 | NGC2403-X1 | 10579 | 07 36 25.56 | +65 35 40.1 | 2.99 | 95.661 | WFC1 | 2005-10-17 | ACS | F435W | 1248 | |
F606W | 1248 | |||||||||||
N2403 | NGC2403-HALO-1 | 10523 | 07 37 52.70 | +65 31 31.0 | 7.854 | 107.68 | WFC | 2005-09-29 | ACS | F606W | 710 | |
F814W | 710 | |||||||||||
N2403 | NGC2403-HALO-6 | 10523 | 07 37 29.37 | +65 40 29.1 | 5.78 | 97.839 | WFC | 2005-10-14 | ACS | F606W | 720 | |
F814W | 720 | |||||||||||
KKH37 | KKH37 | 9771 | 06 47 46.90 | +80 07 26.0 | 0.05 | 319.556 | WFC | 2004-02-07 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 3 |
F814W | 900 | |||||||||||
HoII | UGC-4305-1 | 10605 | 08 18 59.0 | +70 42 05 | 0.92 | 30.76 | WFC | 2006-12-30 | ACS | F555W | 9320 | 4 |
F814W | 9320 | |||||||||||
HoII | UGC-4305-2 | 10605 | 08 19 20.6 | +70 43 45 | 1.53 | 30.67 | WFC | 2006-12-30 | ACS | F555W | 9320 | 4 |
F814W | 9320 | |||||||||||
E540-030 | ESO540-030 | 10503 | 00 49 21.2 | −18 04 33 | 0.10 | ∼74 | WFC | 2006-07-11 | ACS | F606W | 17920 | |
F814W | 15680 | |||||||||||
MCG9-20-131 | CGCG-269-049 | 10905 | 12 15 44.0 | +52 23 58 | WF3 | 2007-10-31 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2200 | |||
F814W | 2400 | |||||||||||
E540-032 | ESO540-032 | 10503 | 00 50 24.5 | −19 54 23 | 0.04 | 104.385 | WFC | 2006-09-03 | ACS | F606W | 17920 | |
F814W | 11188 | |||||||||||
E540-032 | ESO540-032 | 10503 | 00 50 24.51 | −19 54 23 | 0.04 | 69.516 | WFC | 2006-07-07 | ACS | F606W | 4480 | |
2006-07-10 | F814W | 4474 | ||||||||||
FM1 | M81F6D1 | 9884 | 09 45 20.55 | +68 45 26.5 | 1.06 | 312.999 | WFC | 2004-04-06 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | |
F814W | 9000 | |||||||||||
KK77 | M81F12D1 | 9884 | 09 50 09.28 | +67 29 50.1 | 0.57 | 6.202 | WFC | 2004-02-09 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | |
F814W | 9000 | |||||||||||
KDG63 | DDO71 | 9884 | 10 05 15.74 | +66 33 16.5 | 0.84 | 316.241 | WFC | 2004-04-05 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | |
F814W | 9000 | |||||||||||
N4190a | NGC-4190 | 10905 | 12 13 44.40 | +36 37 14 | 0.80 | 4.237 | WF3 | 2008-03-21 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2200 | |
F814W | 2200 | |||||||||||
M82 | M82-POS1 | 10776 | 09 56 06.7 | +69 44 17 | 3.50 | 310.02 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-27 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | |
F555W | 1360 | |||||||||||
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
M82 | M82-POS2 | 10776 | 09 55 42.0 | +69 41 54 | 1.39 | 310.02 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-27 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | |
F555W | 1360 | |||||||||||
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
M82 | M82-POS3 | 10776 | 09 55 17.0 | +69 39 32 | 3.48 | 310.02 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-27 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | |
2006-03-29 | F555W | 1360 | ||||||||||
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
M82 | M82-POS4 | 10776 | 09 55 46.7 | +69 37 33 | 3.44 | 310.02 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-28 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | |
2006-03-29 | F555W | 1360 | ||||||||||
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
M82 | M82-POS5 | 10776 | 09 56 11.8 | +69 39 55 | 1.84 | 310.02 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-28 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | |
F555W | 1360 | |||||||||||
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
M82 | M82-POS6 | 10776 | 09 56 36.0 | +69 42 18 | 3.89 | 310.02 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-28 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | |
2006-03-29 | F555W | 1360 | ||||||||||
F814W | 700 | |||||||||||
KDG52 | MESSIER-081-DWARF-A | 10605 | 08 23 55.8 | +71 01 46 | 0.05 | 297.84 | WFC | 2006-03-29 | ACS | F555W | 11828 | 4 |
F814W | 11872 | |||||||||||
DDO53 | UGC-04459 | 10605 | 08 34 07.0 | +66 10 55 | 0.17 | 302.57 | WFC | 2006-03-25 | ACS | F555W | 9536 | 4 |
F814W | 9536 | |||||||||||
KDG61 | M81K61 | 9884 | 09 56 58.78 | +68 35 49.6 | 0.48 | 15.578 | WFC | 2004-02-10 | ACS | F606W | 17800 | |
F814W | 9000 | |||||||||||
M81 | NGC3031-HALO-1 | 10523 | 09 57 17.23 | +69 06 29.3 | 9.58 | 117.087 | WFC | 2005-10-31 | ACS | F606W | 710 | |
F814W | 710 | |||||||||||
M81 | NGC3031-HALO-2 | 10523 | 09 58 04.50 | +69 08 52.1 | 14.37 | 117.321 | WFC | 2005-10-31 | ACS | F814W | 735 | |
F606W | 735 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-X-9 | 9796 | 09 57 54.30 | +69 03 46.4 | 12.61 | 14.181 | WFC1 | 2004-02-07 | ACS | F435W | 2520 | |
F555W | 1160 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1160 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-X-9 | 9796 | 09 57 54.30 | +69 03 46.4 | 12.61 | 323.352 | WFC | 2004-03-25 | ACS | F555W | 2400 | |
M81 | M81-FIELD-1 | 10584 | 09 54 16.49 | +69 13 42.3 | 11.93 | 329.925 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-23 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | |
F606W | 1580 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1595 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-2 | 10584 | 09 54 52.27 | +69 14 54.3 | 11.57 | 59.748 | WFCENTER | 2006-12-30 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | |
F606W | 1580 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1595 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-3 | 10584 | 09 54 09.18 | +69 09 49.5 | 9.51 | 64.655 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-10 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-4 | 10584 | 09 54 41.78 | +69 11 06.7 | 8.47 | 68.571 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-06 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-5 | 10584 | 09 55 13.52 | +69 12 25.1 | 8.60 | 329.926 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-22 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-6 | 10584 | 09 55 46.09 | +69 13 42.4 | 9.77 | 329.926 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-23 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-7 | 10584 | 09 54 17.45 | +69 08 27.4 | 8.115 | 64.984 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-15 | ACS | F435W | 465 | |
F606W | 470 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-7 | 10584 | 09 54 22.89 | +69 06 56.8 | 6.95 | 329.926 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-23 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-8 | 10584 | 09 54 55.47 | +69 08 14.2 | 5.43 | 329.926 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-22 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-9 | 10584 | 09 55 11.57 | +69 08 49.8 | 5.21 | 329.862 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-22 | ACS | F435W | 465 | |
F606W | 470 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-9 | 10584 | 09 55 28.04 | +69 09 31.5 | 5.55 | 329.926 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-20 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-10 | 10584 | 09 56 00.66 | +69 10 49.0 | 7.23 | 334.924 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-25 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-11 | 10584 | 09 54 32.00 | +69 05 33.9 | 5.71 | 65.041 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-15 | ACS | F435W | 400 | |
F606W | 450 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-11 | 10584 | 09 54 38.25 | +69 04 02.3 | 4.94 | 67.905 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-08 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-12 | 10584 | 09 55 09.99 | +69 05 20.6 | 2.49 | 329.927 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-26 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-13 | 10584 | 09 55 26.13 | +69 05 56.4 | 2.05 | 329.919 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-22 | ACS | F435W | 400 | |
F606W | 450 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-13 | 10584 | 09 55 43.41 | +69 06 37.0 | 2.76 | 69.764 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-07 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-14 | 10584 | 09 56 15.18 | +69 07 55.5 | 5.41 | 334.980 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-26 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-15 | 10584 | 09 54 35.17 | +69 00 33.4 | 6.25 | 333.265 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-23 | ACS | F606W | 470 | |
F606W | 465 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-15 | 10584 | 09 54 52.01 | +69 01 10.0 | 4.67 | 338.616 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-20 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-16 | 10584 | 09 55 25.11 | +69 02 22.0 | 1.80 | 159.951 | WFCENTER | 2006-09-08 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-17 | 10584 | 09 55 40.69 | +69 03 02.7 | 1.15 | 329.863 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-27 | ACS | F435W | 465 | |
F606W | 470 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-17 | 10584 | 09 55 57.09 | +69 03 44.5 | 2.12 | 329.927 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-21 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-18 | 10584 | 09 56 30.51 | +69 05 00.8 | 5.19 | 69.765 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-07 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-19 | 10584 | 09 54 49.72 | +68 57 40.0 | 7.45 | 333.321 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-23 | ACS | F435W | 400 | |
F606W | 450 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-19 | 10584 | 09 55 07.30 | +68 58 15.2 | 6.21 | 69.766 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-06 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-20 | 10584 | 09 55 39.04 | +68 59 33.5 | 4.47 | 329.927 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-22 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-21 | 10584 | 09 55 55.25 | +69 00 09.3 | 4.31 | 329.920 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-27 | ACS | F435W | 400 | |
F606W | 450 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-21 | 10584 | 09 56 11.62 | +69 00 50.9 | 4.64 | 329.927 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-25 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-22 | 10584 | 09 56 45.03 | +69 02 07.3 | 6.66 | 69.765 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-09 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-23 | 10584 | 09 55 21.82 | +68 55 21.6 | 8.70 | 69.767 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-09 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-24 | 10584 | 09 55 53.57 | +68 56 40.0 | 7.55 | 329.927 | WFCENTER | 2006-03-22 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-25 | 10584 | 09 56 26.98 | +68 57 56.4 | 7.72 | 69.766 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-05 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-26 | 10584 | 09 56 59.55 | +68 59 13.8 | 9.06 | 68.603 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-10 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | |
F606W | 1200 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-27 | 10584 | 09 55 59.05 | +68 53 27.4 | 10.72 | 63.395 | WFCENTER | 2006-12-26 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | |
F606W | 1580 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1595 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-28 | 10584 | 09 56 29.23 | +68 54 42.5 | 10.49 | 69.769 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-09 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | |
F606W | 1580 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1595 | |||||||||||
M81 | M81-FIELD-29 | 10584 | 09 57 01.91 | +68 55 56.2 | 11.26 | 69.768 | WFCENTER | 2005-12-06 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | |
F606W | 1580 | |||||||||||
F814W | 1595 | |||||||||||
N247 | NGC247 | 9771 | 00 47 06.10 | −20 39 04.0 | 6.55 | 263.664 | WFC | 2004-02-02 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 3 |
F814W | 900 | |||||||||||
HoIX | UGC-5336 | 10605 | 09 57 31.8 | +69 02 46 | 0.22 | 325.36 | WFC | 2006-03-23 | ACS | F555W | 9536 | 4 |
F814W | 9536 | |||||||||||
KDG64 | M81K64 | 9884 | 10 07 09.85 | +67 49 57.9 | 0.81 | 78.806 | WFC | 2003-12-20 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | |
F814W | 9000 | |||||||||||
IKN | IKN | 9771 | 10 08 05.90 | +68 23 57.0 | 0.00 | 187.352 | WFC | 2003-08-17 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 3 |
F814W | 900 | |||||||||||
F8D1 | GAL-094447+672619 | 5898 | 09 44 44 | +67 26 41 | 0.5 | ∼320 | PC1 | 1996-02-23 | WFPC2 | F555W | 18360 | 8 |
1996-04-17 | F814W | 27140 | ||||||||||
BK5N | GAL-100441+681522 | 5898 | 10 04 40.3 | +68 15 52.7 | 0.544 | 355.514 | PC1 | 1996-02-22 | WFPC2 | F555W | 17559 | 8 |
F814W | 19440 | |||||||||||
BK5N | GAL-100441+681522 | 6964 | 10 04 35.7 | +68 15 17.2 | 0.432 | 264.979 | PC1 | 1996-06-09 | WFPC2 | F555W | 5400 | 8 |
F814W | 11400 | |||||||||||
N3077 | NGC3077-PHOENIX | 9381 | 10 03 51.6 | +68 41 26 | 3.80 | 335.19 | WFC | 2003-03-12 | ACS | F435W | 12000 | 4 |
2003-03-14 | F555W | 19200 | ||||||||||
F814W | 38400 | |||||||||||
HoI | UGC-5139 | 10605 | 09 40 32.1 | +71 11 15 | 0.33 | 9.156 | WFC | 2006-02-03 | ACS | F555W | 8892 | 4 |
F814W | 11872 | |||||||||||
HS117 | HS117 | 9771 | 10 21 25.20 | +71 06 58.0 | 0.00 | 127.715 | WFC | 2003-10-25 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 3 |
F814W | 900 | |||||||||||
I2574 | IC-2574-1-COPY | 10605 | 10 28 22.9 | +68 24 37 | 0.33 | 336.13 | WFC | 2006-03-20 | ACS | F555W | 9568 | 4 |
F814W | 9568 | |||||||||||
I2574 | IC2574-SGS | 9755 | 10 28 43.2 | +68 27 06 | 2.84 | 21.49 | WFC | 2004-02-06 | ACS | F435W | 12000 | 4 |
F555W | 12800 | |||||||||||
F814W | 12800 | |||||||||||
I2574 | IC-2574-2 | 10605 | 10 27 50.1 | +68 22 57 | 3.57 | 32.67 | WFC | 2006-01-27 | ACS | F555W | 9568 | 4 |
F814W | 9568 | |||||||||||
Sc22 | SCL-DE1 | 10503 | 00 23 51.7 | −24 42 18 | 0.00 | 50.4 | WFC | 2006-05-13 | ACS | F606W | 44800 | |
F814W | 35840 |
Notes. Entries with reduced precision in the listings for R.A. and decl. indicate a representative center for dithered observations. Multiple dates for a given field indicate the start times for the earliest and the latest observations of that field. Angular separation refers to separation between the aperture position and the catalog coordinates in Table 1. Field names indicate the titles given in the archive. Observations lacking multiple filters at nearly the same position and alignment are not included. [a] Observations for N4190 were proprietary at the time this paper was submitted; their photometry will be added to the data release when it becomes public. References for published CMDs from the associated data are given in the last column: (1) Tully et al. 2006; (2) Dohm-Palmer et al. 2002; (3) Karachentsev et al. 2006; (4) Weisz et al. 2008; (5) Seth et al. 2005a; (6) Butler et al. 2004; (7) Rizzi et al. 2006; (8) Caldwell et al. 1998; (9) Karachentsev et al. 2001; (10) Karachentsev et al. 2002c; (11) Karachentsev et al. 2002b; (12) Dolphin et al. 2001; (13) Izotov & Thuan 2002.
Among the galaxies eligible for a full radial strip, we did not image M81 or M82. The former had complete tiling through programs GO-10250 (F814W only) and GO-10584 (F435W, F606W, and some F814W in outer fields). M82 was tiled by STScI through program DD-10776 (Mutchler et al. 2007). Only the M81 photometry from GO-10584 is presented here; the F814W tiling in GO-10250 was not aligned in either pointing or rotation with the bluer observations in GO-10584, and thus requires capabilities not included in the current data processing pipeline.
3.2. Deep Field Pointing
A single deep pointing was originally planned for each of the 12 galaxies which dominate the K-band luminosity (and presumably the stellar mass) of the local universe. The deep field exposure times were chosen to provide high completeness in the red clump region of the CMD, as described below. However, deep exposures are subject to significant stellar crowding due to the increasing number of stars at fainter magnitudes in the CMD. When stellar fields become too crowded, longer exposure times no longer decrease the photometric errors or increase the number of detected stars. Instead, the photometric uncertainties are dominated by systematic errors produced by crowded, blended point-spread functions (PSFs). To avoid this situation, the deep fields needed to be placed in regions of the galaxies where photometric errors would not be dominated by crowding.
When placing the deep fields, we used the simulations of Olsen et al. (2003) to calculate the surface brightness below which photometric errors would be less than 0.1 mag in the red clump. This limiting surface brightness depends on distance, the underlying stellar population, and the pixel scale and PSF of the camera. We found typical ACS limiting surface brightness of μV ∼ 22.2–24.6 mag arcsec-2 for galaxies at D = 1.3–4 Mpc. These limits yielded of order 100K stars per ACS FOV at our typical exposure time, which was consistent with our previous experience with an ACS snapshot survey (Seth et al. 2005b). The resulting limiting surface brightnesses were used to identify appropriate field locations for each of the target galaxies, using a combination of Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and deep Malin (http://www.aao.gov.au/images/) images to estimate the local surface brightness along each galaxy's major axis. The fields were allowed to have any orientation, and were contiguous with the outermost wide field tile.
3.3. Filter Choice
Imaging was carried out in three filters for the galaxies that dominate the recent star formation in the local volume (i.e., to the right of the line in the left panel of Figure 1), and two filters for all others. For the galaxies with three-filter coverage, we used F475W+F606W+F814W, which maximized the combination of wavelength coverage and throughput. The three filters are useful for identifying X-ray counterparts, H ii region nebulosity, and extinction (when combined with future UV or NIR imaging). Although the F435W filter allows for a larger wavelength baseline and disjoint wavelength coverage with F606W, its throughput is much less than that of F475W.
For the dwarf galaxies with two-filter coverage, we used a F475W+F814W filter combination, instead of the more commonly used F606W+F814W. Although F475W does not reach as far down the CMD as F606W for a given exposure time, it provides greater temperature sensitivity due to the longer wavelength baseline of the F475W-F814W color combination. For regions above the red clump, more scientific information can be extracted from better temperature sensitivity than from the slight gain in depth possible with F606W+F814W. This choice allowed us to better separate main-sequence stars from the blue helium burning sequence, and to derive stronger constraints on the metallicity distribution of red giant branch (RGB) stars. This effect can be seen in Figures 9–22, when comparing CMDs in F475W+F814W and F606W+F814W for galaxies with three-filter observations (such as DDO 190). Given the very low extinctions expected in low-metallicity systems, a third filter was not deemed necessary for the faintest dwarf galaxies. For many of these, some F606W imaging is already available in the archive, largely from the SNAP-9771 and SNAP-10210 programs.
For the deep fields, the scientific demand of constraining ancient star formation requires the highest possible completeness in the red clump. Thus, the majority of time invested in deep fields was in the more traditional F606W+F814W color combination, which maximizes the depth along the RGB at the expense of lower color sensitivity. A single orbit of F475W was also included for continuity with the wide-field observing strategy, and to allow the possibility for extinction mapping in the future.
3.4. Exposure Times
Exposure times were chosen to achieve two separate goals. For the wide fields, the goal was efficient, multi-color imaging of the upper regions of the CMD, allowing good constraints on the occupation of the main sequence, the luminosity function of the blue and red helium burning sequences, the color distribution of the RGB, and the population of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. For the deep field, the goal was high completeness and photometric accuracy in the red clump. We discuss the details of the wide field and deep field observations in Sections 3.4.1 and 3.4.2. A listing of the new observations taken for this program can be found in Table 2.
3.4.1. Wide Fields
The wide field observing strategy was shaped by the need to get up to three filters at each tile position. In each filter we need at least a two- or three-point dither pattern to reject cosmic rays and to cover the chip gap. Due to data volume constraints, two orbits are required to get at least two images in each of the three filters. For crowded areas, we used the minimum two orbits for the wide-field tilings, while in the outermost wide fields, where crowding was not a limiting factor on the photometry, we used three orbits, one orbit per filter. For dwarf galaxies, we devoted one orbit to each of the two filters. Total exposure times can be found in Table 2. The typical photometric depths (S/N =5) were 28.4 in F475W and F606W, and 27.5 in F814W for a single orbit.
3.4.2. Deep Fields
The goal of the ANGST deep fields is to obtain an accurate census on the number, magnitude, and color of stars in the red clump. These stars place a strong constraint on the ancient SFH enabling the possibility of breaking the age–metallicity degeneracy present along the upper RGB. We requested deep fields for 12 galaxies in the ANGST volume with MK < −17.5. These 12 galaxies contain 99% of the K-band luminosity within our survey volume, and thus have dominated the past total SFH. The significant time investment required to obtain CMDs reaching below the red clump meant that these exposures were limited to a single field in each galaxy.
Exposure times were chosen to obtain S/N ≳ 10 in both F606W and F814W for stars in the red clump. In practice, we achieved this by using the ACS Imaging Exposure Time Calculator to estimate the time necessary to reach S/N =3.5 for a G0III star normalized to MV = +1.5 (for F606W) and MI = +0.7 (for F814W), a magnitude below the theoretical red clump for a [Fe/H] = –1.3, 10 Gyr population in the Padova isochrones (http://pleiadi.pd.astro.it/). To calculate the appropriate red clump magnitude for each galaxy, reddenings and extinctions were adopted from Schlegel et al. (1998), and distance moduli were chosen by carefully evaluating data from the literature (Karachentsev et al. 2002a, 2003; Rekola et al. 2005; Mouhcine et al. 2005; Sakai & Madore 2001; Karachentsev et al. 2006; Freedman et al. 1994; Sakai & Madore 1999; Tikhonov et al. 2003; Maíz-Apellániz et al. 2002; Drozdovsky et al. 2002; Gieren et al. 2004, 2005; Rizzi et al. 2006; Minniti et al. 1999; Méndez et al. 2002; Aparicio & Tikhonov 2000) and from our own TRGB measurements using archival data. Exposure times were turned into orbit estimates using the appropriate overheads and available visibility times depending on the declination of the source. For the two deep exposures of M81 and NGC 2976 that were obtained with ACS before its failure, a single long exposure (∼2700 s) was taken in each orbit. Each visit contained an orbit in each filter both to maximize our baseline for variable stars and to minimize the risk of obtaining incomplete filter coverage in the event of spacecraft failure. A short 100 s exposure was taken to permit photometry of the brighter stars saturated in the full orbit exposures, and a full orbit of F475W data was included for consistency with the wide fields and to enable the possibility of internal reddening estimations.
3.5. Parallels
WFPC2 observations were taken in parallel with the ACS observations in Table 2. These observations were divided evenly between F606W and F814W, and are 6' away from the center of the ACS FOV. Photometry of these fields will be reduced with the WFPC2 pipeline described below in Section 7, but is not included in this initial data release.
4. WFPC2 OBSERVING STRATEGY
ACS observations for our program began in early 2006 September. Unfortunately, the wide field camera on ACS failed in late 2007 January, ∼5 months into the execution of our program. As a result, we lost 147 orbits on the massive galaxies with deep fields (MK < −17.5; 71% lost), and lost 44 orbits on the fainter galaxies (50% lost), for a total of 191 orbits lost from the original allocation of 295 orbits. Of the 195 orbits that were to be devoted to the deep fields, we received 41 orbits (79% lost), primarily for NGC 2976 and M81. Given the uncertainties in the upcoming HST servicing mission, we decided to continue the program with WFPC2.
Following an appeal, the Telescope Time Review Board restored 116 of the 191 lost orbits to execute deep single-pointing observations for the nearest luminous galaxies and the very closest dwarfs (NGC 55, NGC 4214, NGC 404, NGC 2403, NGC 3109, Sex B, and IC 5152). Time for wide field observations was not granted. For the majority of these galaxies, sufficient data exist in the archive for tying the large radius deep fields to the SFH of the galaxy as a whole, although with a lack of complete radial coverage and uniformity. However, NGC 55 and NGC 3109 did not have adequate radial coverage due to their large angular extents. Through a Director's Discretionary request (DD-11307), we were awarded an additional 25 orbits to execute radial tilings for these two remaining galaxies (five pointings per galaxy, with two orbits per tile for NGC 3109 and three orbits per tile for NGC 55).
4.1. WFPC2 Deep Fields
Transferring the ANGST deep field observing strategy to WFPC2 required a number of modifications. The first significant change was in field placement. The wide-field chips of WFPC2 are undersampled compared to ACS, leading to larger photometric errors due to crowding at comparable surface brightnesses and exposure times. We therefore had to move the deep fields to even lower surface brightnesses (and thus larger radii) than the original ACS deep field locations. Using the Olsen et al. (2003) simulations, we recalculated the surface brightness limit at which our observations would become crowding limited. These revised limits were ∼1.5 mag fainter than for ACS. These changes required shifting the fields typically another ∼1.4 disk scale lengths further out, increasing the risk that the WFPC2 FOV would fall beyond any significant disk truncation, if present. This appears to have happened for IC 5152, but did not affect any of the other observations.
The second adaptation was to accept slightly less photometric depth. WFPC2's throughput is substantially worse than ACS's, and thus matching the depth of the ACS deep fields would require a prohibitive number of orbits. However, our experience with the ACS deep fields for M81 and NGC 2976 suggested that we could reach our scientific goals with slightly shallower data, and thus we revised our target depth to a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 at 1.5 mag below the middle of the red clump. The final change to the program was to eliminate the F475W observations, where WFPC2's sensitivity is particularly poor.
When allocating orbits, we maximized the photometric accuracy in the red clump (where F606W − F814W ≈0.75) by allocating twice as many orbits to F814W than to F606W. A random-walk dither pattern was adopted and full-orbit exposures were used; the number (>5) of exposures made cosmic-ray rejection straightforward without the need to CR-split the exposures during the orbit, allowing us to obtain the maximum depth possible with each orbit.
The resulting images typically had between 5000 and 15000 stars per WFPC2 chip. We checked our photometry on a chip-by-chip basis to identify potential problems or offsets due to the well-known WF4 bias anomaly. Images of WF4 showed no obvious problems with the bias, nor was the photometry noticeably worse, suggesting that the anomaly had been properly addressed by STScI's WFPC2 data reduction pipeline and/or that the chip was performing well at the time the observations were performed. We therefore are including WF4 data in the released photometric catalogs. These catalogs include a flag identifying the chip that a star fell on in the reference image, allowing the user to filter out WF4 data, if needed.
4.2. WFPC2 Wide Field Tilings
For the WFPC2 wide field tilings of NGC 55 and NGC 3109, we aimed to match the depth (in absolute magnitude) of the wide radial tiles in the more distant systems of the ANGST survey, assuring that the WFPC2 tiles were at least as deep as the shallowest wide field tiles in the survey. This depth corresponds to a signal-to-noise of 5 and 50% completeness at MF814W = −0.5 for the colors of the RGB. At the distances of NGC 3109 (1.3 Mpc; mlim,F814W = 25.1) and NGC 55 (2.1 Mpc; mlim,F814W = 25.8), we could reach this depth and completeness in two orbits for NGC 3109 and three orbits for NGC 55, including overheads for CR-SPLITs and guide-star acquisition, based on comparable two-orbit observations for Sextans A (Dohm-Palmer et al. 1997) and WFPC2 parallel data from the main ANGST ACS observations.
To produce a radial strip, we adopted a "Groth strip" tiling strategy of interleaved chips, with an orientation set to maximize schedulability for each target. Unlike the original ANGST ACS program, we did not tile all the way out to the deep fields, which had to be moved even further out to cope with WFPC2's lower resolution. We instead stopped the radial tiling where we are sure that we have imaged most of the recent star formation. To conserve orbits, tiles were placed on whichever side of the galaxy presented the smallest distance to the edge of the star-forming disk.
5. ARCHIVAL DATA
The original ANGST survey strategy was designed to take advantage of archival data whenever it matched or surpassed the quality of the proposed observations, in comparable filters. The failure of ACS during execution of the ANGST program further increased our reliance on archival data. In Table 3 we summarize the archival data sets that are incorporated into the ANGST data release, along with papers that have published CMDs from these data independently. We have excluded data sets that have only one filter at a single position, or that have severe offsets or misalignments among multiple filters. Photometry in the latter cases is significantly compromised by the distortion of the ACS WFC, and cannot be readily produced by the ANGST pipeline. In future data releases, we will incorporate such data as needed, most notably for the F814W tilings of M81 by GO-10250.
6. ACS PHOTOMETRY
Photometry was carried out on bias subtracted, flat-fielded *_flt images (or *_crj images when available) produced by the STScI ACS pipeline OPUS versions 2006_5 through 2008_1, which used CALACS version 4.6.1. through 4.6.4. For *_crj images, the value of the readnoise reported in the CALACS header did not reflect that the final image contains two co-added readouts. In these cases, we multiplied the read noise listed in the header by , so that it properly accounted for the combined read noise of the co-added CR-SPLIT observations. Failure to make this correction would have produced systematic errors in the reported photometric errors.
To measure stellar photometry, we used the software package DOLPHOT20 (Dolphin et al. 2002) including the ACS module. This package is optimized for measuring photometry of stars on dithered ACS images, where the position angle of the multiple exposures are the same, and the shifts between exposures are small (≲30''). To align images, DOLPHOT makes a fast initial pass through the data to find bright stars common to all of the frames, using approximate shifts supplied by the user. The final shifts between the images are then determined based on these stars. By this method, our exposures were able to be aligned to ∼001 precision. The precision is slightly worse (∼0015) for fields with small numbers of stars, and slightly better (∼0005) for more crowded fields. When aligning images, we currently do not incorporate time-dependent corrections to the geometric distortion. While improved distortion corrections would help improve the astrometric solution for the frames, it has only a second-order effect on our photometry, since the photometric accuracy depends primarily on multiple images being aligned correctly relative to each other, rather than relative to an undistorted frame. As we currently are only analyzing stacks of images with small positional shifts, taken close together in time, temporal drifts in the geometric distortion are not a limiting factor in our photometry. They will, however, be considered in future releases.
Although DOLPHOT operates on non-drizzled images, we also combined all images into a single drizzled image using the multidrizzle task within PyRAF (Koekemoer et al. 2002), which allowed us to flag the cosmic rays in the individual images. Once the cosmic rays were identified, the photometry was measured for all of the objects using the individual, uncombined frames.
To calculate the flux of each star, DOLPHOT initially adopts the PSF calculated by Tiny Tim (Krist 1995), and scales the PSF in flux to minimize residuals throughout the image stack. The shape and width of the Tiny Tim PSF has been shown to match to the shape of the true PSF well throughout both ACS chips, based on the extensive analysis presented by Jee et al. (2007). There are slight deviations close to the bottom of Chip 1, but our tests in Section 8 find that these do not lead to noticeable systematics in the magnitude errors. DOLPHOT makes additional minor adjustments to the Tiny Tim PSF by using the brightest and most isolated stars to correct for PSF changes due to temperature variations of the telescope during orbit. These adjustments typically affect the photometry at the 0.01 mag level.
DOLPHOT also uses the most isolated stars in the field to determine aperture corrections to the PSF magnitudes, which accounts for any systematic differences between the model and true PSF. These corrections were generally ≲0.05 mag for a given exposure. DOLPHOT then applies the aperture corrections for each exposure, corrects for the charge transfer efficiency of the ACS detector using the coefficients given in the ACS-ISR 2004-006,21 combines the results from the individual exposures, and converts the measured count rates to the VEGAMAG system (a system where Vega is defined to have mag=0 in all filters) using the Sirianni et al. (2005) zero points for each filter. Note that the Sirianni et al. (2005) zero points have since been updated in ACS-ISR 2007-02 to reflect the change in sensitivity due to the increase in ACS's operating temperature in 2006 July after the switch to Side 2 electronics; these changes are of order ∼0.015 mag, and have been propagated into the relevant photometric catalogs covered in this release. The resulting zero points match those in Table 5 of ACS-ISR 2007-02. We have not yet propagated zero point changes due to improvements in the calibration of the system throughput (ACS-ISR 2007-06); these changes seem to of the order of less than 0.01 in the filters covered in this data release, but still have significant unresolved uncertainties in the red wavelength regimes that dominate much of the ANGST catalogs.
DOLPHOT makes use of all exposures of a field when measuring stellar properties. This technique results in a single raw photometry output file for each field that contains measured properties of all objects detected in the field, including the position, object type (point source, extended, elongated, or indeterminate), combined magnitude, magnitude error, signal-to-noise, sharpness, roundness, χ2 fit to the PSF, crowding, and error flag (chip edge or saturated) in all filters. The output catalog contains these measurements for each star in each individual exposure as well, providing the opportunity for variability studies.
We spent significant time investigating optimal values for the dozens of parameters that can be adjusted in DOLPHOT to maximize the quality of the photometry measured from the data. Three of the parameters which had the strongest influence on our resulting photometry were the Force1 parameter, the aperture radius (RAper), and the sky fitting parameter (FitSky).
The Force1 parameter forces all sources detected to be fitted as stars, assuming that separate culling will be performed on the output file to discard non-point sources. For our crowded fields, this option was optimal, but required that special care be taken in fitting the sky. We found that with FitSky set to 1 (fit the sky in an annulus around each star), our photometry was much more heavily affected by crowding, resulting in large crowding errors for nearly all of the stars in our wide field data. With FitSky =2 (fit the sky inside the PSF radius but outside the photometry aperture), we needed a small aperture radius (4 pixels), and found systematic errors (∼0.02 mag) in the recovered magnitudes of artificial stars added to the data, using bright stars whose random photometric uncertainties did not overwhelm the systematic error. We found that setting FitSky =3 (fit the sky within the photometry aperture as a two-parameter PSF fit) allowed a larger photometry radius (10 pixels) with smaller aperture correction, and provided photometry with the smallest crowding errors and no significant systematic errors. Note that in all these methods DOLPHOT subtracts the flux of neighboring stars before measuring the sky and stellar flux; differences in the operation of FitSky therefore change the way residuals propagate, but not the total flux of nearby stars.
We provide full photometry output for each field along with culled catalogs containing the highest quality photometry. We culled the raw DOLPHOT output in two ways, releasing both a complete and a conservative (but very high quality) catalog for each field. The complete catalog contains all sources that were not flagged by DOLPHOT as extended, elongated, extremely sharp, highly saturated, significantly cut off by the edge of the chip, or not detected at high signal-to-noise (4.0 or higher in at least two filters).
In addition to the complete catalog, we also provide a more conservative catalog of stellar photometry which has been culled to remove highly uncertain photometry. These catalogs have been filtered to only allow objects with low sharpness ( and crowding () in both filters. The sharpness parameter cut removes extended objects such as background galaxies missed by the earlier cuts. The crowding parameter gives the difference between the magnitude of a star measured before and after subtracting the neighboring stars in the image. When this value is large, it suggests that the star's photometry was significantly affected by crowding effects, and we therefore exclude it from our most conservative catalogs. Quality cuts based on the χ2 values were also considered, but they were rejected when a correlation was found between χ2 and the local background.
We found that these final cuts produce CMDs with well-defined features in the uncrowded field, while retaining most of the stars in high surface brightness regions. However, the cuts in the more conservative catalog may remove stars from certain interesting regions, like stellar clusters. We advise anyone interested in studying clusters or identifying stellar counterparts for specific sources to check the effects of the different parameter cuts. In Gogarten et al. (2009), we found that relaxing the crowding parameter cuts to recovered a number of stars in clusters without dramatically compromising the quality of the photometry.
Our final catalogs include stars that may contain some saturated pixels, as long as the saturation was not so bad that the PSF could not be reliably fitted. Saturation limits our wide field photometry to magnitudes fainter than ∼18 and our deep field photometry to magnitudes fainter than ∼20. In Table 4 we give the level of 50% photometric completeness for each observation, as determined from initial artificial star tests. These completeness limits are for the field as a whole, but can be expected to vary spatially within a field due to spatial variations in the degree of crowding.
Table 4. Photometry
Catalog Name | Proposal ID | Target Name | Instrument | Filter | Exposure Time (s) (s) | Nstars | 50% Completeness (mag) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antlia/P29194 | 10210 | ANTLIA | ACS | F606W | 985 | 19207 | 28.03 |
Antlia/P29194 | 10210 | ANTLIA | ACS | F814W | 1174 | 19207 | 27.30 |
SexA/DDO75 | 7496 | DDO75 | WFPC2 | F555W | 19200 | 33251 | 27.34 |
SexA/DDO75 | 7496 | DDO75 | WFPC2 | F814W | 38400 | 33251 | 26.50 |
N3109 | 10915 | NGC3109-DEEP | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 | 13329 | 26.76 |
N3109 | 10915 | NGC3109-DEEP | WFPC2 | F814W | 3900 | 13329 | 26.00 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE1 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 | 21868 | 26.61 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE1 | WFPC2 | F814W | 3900 | 21868 | 25.65 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE2 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 | 30477 | 26.56 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE2 | WFPC2 | F814W | 3900 | 30477 | 25.59 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE3 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2400 | 34176 | 26.32 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE3 | WFPC2 | F814W | 2400 | 34176 | 25.34 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE4 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2400 | 42536 | 26.03 |
N3109 | 11307 | NGC3109-WIDE4 | WFPC2 | F814W | 2400 | 42536 | 25.11 |
SexB/DDO70 | 10915 | SEXB-DEEP | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 | 29752 | 26.46 |
SexB/DDO70 | 10915 | SEXB-DEEP | WFPC2 | F814W | 3900 | 29752 | 25.76 |
KKR25 | 8601 | KKR25 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 923 | 26.13 |
KKR25 | 8601 | KKR25 | WFPC2 | F814W | 600 | 923 | 24.98 |
KK230 | 9771 | KK230 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 4678 | 28.20 |
KK230 | 9771 | KK230 | ACS | F814W | 900 | 4678 | 27.09 |
E410-005/KK3 | 10503 | ESO410-005 | ACS | F606W | 8960 | 92713 | 28.87 |
E410-005/KK3 | 10503 | ESO410-005 | ACS | F814W | 22400 | 92713 | 28.18 |
E294-010 | 10503 | ESO294-010 | ACS | F606W | 13920 | 144605 | 29.09 |
E294-010 | 10503 | ESO294-010 | ACS | F814W | 27840 | 144605 | 28.25 |
N55 | 9765 | NGC0055 | ACS | F606W | 400 | 436413 | 25.70 |
N55 | 9765 | NGC0055 | ACS | F814W | 676 | 436413 | 25.04 |
N55 | 9765 | NGC0055-DISK | ACS | F606W | 676 | 381466 | 26.93 |
N55 | 9765 | NGC0055-DISK | ACS | F814W | 700 | 381466 | 26.17 |
N55 | 10915 | NGC0055-DEEP | WFPC2 | F606W | 6000 | 17269 | 27.34 |
N55 | 10915 | NGC0055-DEEP | WFPC2 | F814W | 10800 | 17269 | 26.38 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE1 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2000 | 37013 | 26.64 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE1 | WFPC2 | F814W | 3700 | 37013 | 25.74 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE2 | WFPC2 | F606W | 1800 | 36914 | 26.17 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE2 | WFPC2 | F814W | 2600 | 36914 | 25.40 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE3 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 | 47547 | 25.90 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE3 | WFPC2 | F814W | 3900 | 47547 | 25.13 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE4 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 | 55721 | 25.54 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE4 | WFPC2 | F814W | 3900 | 55721 | 24.77 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE5 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2700 | 54410 | 25.52 |
N55 | 11307 | NGC0055-WIDE5 | WFPC2 | F814W | 3900 | 54410 | 24.62 |
I5152/E237-27 | 10915 | IC5152-DEEP | WFPC2 | F606W | 4800 | 325 | 27.34 |
I5152/E237-27 | 10915 | IC5152-DEEP | WFPC2 | F814W | 9600 | 325 | 26.45 |
GR8/DDO155 | 10915 | GR8 | ACS | F475W | 2244 | 22146 | 28.27 |
GR8/DDO155 | 10915 | GR8 | ACS | F814W | 2259 | 22146 | 27.41 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE1 | ACS | F475W | 1488 | 201766 | 27.84 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE1 | ACS | F606W | 1515 | 224218 | 27.79 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE1 | ACS | F814W | 1542 | 224218 | 27.00 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE2 | ACS | F475W | 1488 | 314481 | 27.33 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE2 | ACS | F606W | 1515 | 363777 | 27.05 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE2 | ACS | F814W | 1542 | 363777 | 26.60 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE3 | ACS | F475W | 1488 | 407390 | 26.68 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE3 | ACS | F606W | 1515 | 453255 | 26.36 |
N300 | 10915 | NGC0300-WIDE3 | ACS | F814W | 1542 | 453255 | 25.78 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-1 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 94879 | 27.51 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-1 | ACS | F555W | 1080 | 127007 | 27.46 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-1 | ACS | F814W | 1440 | 127007 | 27.12 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-2 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 254713 | 26.99 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-2 | ACS | F555W | 1080 | 385059 | 26.84 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-2 | ACS | F814W | 1440 | 385059 | 26.22 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-3 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 253701 | 26.71 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-3 | ACS | F555W | 1080 | 384389 | 26.50 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-3 | ACS | F814W | 1440 | 384389 | 25.73 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-4 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 72656 | 27.52 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-4 | ACS | F555W | 1080 | 95916 | 27.49 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-4 | ACS | F814W | 1440 | 95916 | 27.17 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-5 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 159598 | 27.30 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-5 | ACS | F555W | 1080 | 246163 | 27.23 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-5 | ACS | F814W | 1440 | 246163 | 26.82 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-6 | ACS | F435W | 1080 | 72479 | 27.46 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-6 | ACS | F555W | 1080 | 111786 | 27.42 |
N300 | 9492 | NGC300-6 | ACS | F814W | 1440 | 111786 | 27.09 |
UA438 | 8192 | E407-G18 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 5016 | 26.04 |
UA438 | 8192 | E407-G18 | WFPC2 | F814W | 600 | 5016 | 24.98 |
DDO187 | 10210 | UGC9128 | ACS | F606W | 985 | 27608 | 28.02 |
DDO187 | 10210 | UGC9128 | ACS | F814W | 1174 | 27608 | 27.12 |
KKH98 | 10915 | KKH98 | ACS | F475W | 2265 | 10915 | 28.28 |
KKH98 | 10915 | KKH98 | ACS | F814W | 2280 | 10915 | 27.48 |
DDO125/U7577 | 8601 | UGC7577 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 11520 | 26.01 |
DDO125/U7577 | 8601 | UGC7577 | WFPC2 | F814W | 600 | 11520 | 24.96 |
U8508 | 10915 | UGC8508 | ACS | F475W | 2280 | 45938 | 28.04 |
U8508 | 10915 | UGC8508 | ACS | F814W | 2349 | 45938 | 27.45 |
KKH86 | 8601 | KKH71 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 727 | 26.22 |
KKH86 | 8601 | KKH71 | WFPC2 | F814W | 600 | 727 | 25.06 |
DDO99/U6817 | 8601 | UGC6817 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 6536 | 26.16 |
DDO99/U6817 | 8601 | UGC6817 | WFPC2 | F814W | 600 | 6536 | 25.00 |
DDO190/U9240 | 10915 | DDO190 | ACS | F475W | 2274 | 95311 | 28.01 |
DDO190/U9240 | 10915 | DDO190 | ACS | F606W | 2301 | 105886 | 28.25 |
DDO190/U9240 | 10915 | DDO190 | ACS | F814W | 2265 | 105886 | 27.22 |
DDO113/KDG90 | 10915 | DDO113 | ACS | F475W | 2265 | 21120 | 28.27 |
DDO113/KDG90 | 10915 | DDO113 | ACS | F814W | 2280 | 21120 | 27.43 |
N4214 | 10915 | NGC4214-DEEP | WFPC2 | F606W | 15600 | 16781 | 27.85 |
N4214 | 10915 | NGC4214-DEEP | WFPC2 | F814W | 31200 | 16781 | 26.93 |
DDO181/U8651 | 10210 | UGC8651 | ACS | F606W | 1016 | 41869 | 28.04 |
DDO181/U8651 | 10210 | UGC8651 | ACS | F814W | 1209 | 41869 | 27.18 |
N3741 | 10915 | NGC3741 | ACS | F475W | 2262 | 29511 | 28.06 |
N3741 | 10915 | NGC3741 | ACS | F814W | 2331 | 29511 | 27.31 |
N4163 | 10915 | NGC4163 | ACS | F475W | 2265 | 81531 | 28.04 |
N4163 | 10915 | NGC4163 | ACS | F606W | 2292 | 97645 | 28.14 |
N4163 | 10915 | NGC4163 | ACS | F814W | 2250 | 97645 | 27.24 |
N4163 | 9771 | NGC4163 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 76156 | 27.91 |
N4163 | 9771 | NGC4163 | ACS | F814W | 900 | 76156 | 26.94 |
N404 | 10915 | NGC0404-DEEP | WFPC2 | F606W | 39000 | 40663 | 27.19 |
N404 | 10915 | NGC0404-DEEP | WFPC2 | F814W | 75400 | 40663 | 26.55 |
UA292 | 10915 | UGCA292 | ACS | F475W | 2250 | 9451 | 28.34 |
UA292 | 10915 | UGCA292 | ACS | F606W | 926 | 8919 | 27.89 |
UA292 | 10915 | UGCA292 | ACS | F814W | 2274 | 8919 | 27.42 |
U8833 | 10210 | UGC8833 | ACS | F606W | 998 | 19441 | 27.93 |
U8833 | 10210 | UGC8833 | ACS | F814W | 1189 | 19441 | 27.22 |
DDO183/U8760 | 10210 | UGC8760 | ACS | F606W | 998 | 36824 | 27.86 |
DDO183/U8760 | 10210 | UGC8760 | ACS | F814W | 1189 | 36824 | 27.08 |
N2366 | 10605 | NGC-2366-1 | ACS | F555W | 4780 | 250218 | 28.01 |
N2366 | 10605 | NGC-2366-1 | ACS | F814W | 4780 | 250218 | 27.38 |
N2366 | 10605 | NGC-2366-2 | ACS | F555W | 4780 | 237663 | 28.10 |
N2366 | 10605 | NGC-2366-2 | ACS | F814W | 4780 | 237663 | 27.49 |
DDO44/KK61 | 10915 | DDO44 | ACS | F475W | 2361 | 34602 | 28.35 |
DDO44/KK61 | 10915 | DDO44 | ACS | F814W | 2430 | 34602 | 27.61 |
DDO44/KK61 | 8137 | DDO44 | WFPC2 | F555W | 12800 | 10687 | 27.58 |
DDO44/KK61 | 8137 | DDO44 | WFPC2 | F814W | 11900 | 10687 | 26.46 |
DDO44/KK61 | 8192 | KK061 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 1794 | 26.04 |
DDO44/KK61 | 8192 | KK061 | WFPC2 | F814W | 600 | 1794 | 24.86 |
E321-014 | 8601 | PGC39032 | WFPC2 | F606W | 600 | 1745 | 26.01 |
E321-014 | 8601 | PGC39032 | WFPC2 | F814W | 600 | 1745 | 24.88 |
U4483 | 8769 | UGC4483 | WFPC2 | F555W | 9500 | 6634 | 27.66 |
U4483 | 8769 | UGC4483 | WFPC2 | F814W | 6900 | 6634 | 26.43 |
N2403 | 10182 | SN-NGC2403-PR | ACS | F475W | 1200 | 317104 | 26.41 |
N2403 | 10182 | SN-NGC2403-PR | ACS | F606W | 700 | 405516 | 26.18 |
N2403 | 10182 | SN-NGC2403-PR | ACS | F814W | 700 | 405516 | 25.54 |
N2403 | 10579 | NGC2403-X1 | ACS | F435W | 1248 | 154761 | 26.91 |
N2403 | 10579 | NGC2403-X1 | ACS | F606W | 1248 | 154761 | 26.44 |
N2403 | 10523 | NGC2403-HALO-1 | ACS | F606W | 710 | 101951 | 27.65 |
N2403 | 10523 | NGC2403-HALO-1 | ACS | F814W | 710 | 101951 | 26.80 |
N2403 | 10523 | NGC2403-HALO-6 | ACS | F606W | 720 | 25350 | 27.60 |
N2403 | 10523 | NGC2403-HALO-6 | ACS | F814W | 720 | 25350 | 26.92 |
N2403 | 10915 | NGC2403-DEEP | WFPC2 | F606W | 32400 | 30452 | 27.81 |
N2403 | 10915 | NGC2403-DEEP | WFPC2 | F814W | 62100 | 30452 | 27.01 |
DDO6 | 10915 | DDO6 | ACS | F475W | 2250 | 23825 | 28.36 |
DDO6 | 10915 | DDO6 | ACS | F814W | 2268 | 23825 | 27.57 |
HoIX/DDO66 | 10605 | UGC-5336 | ACS | F555W | 4768 | 57578 | 28.46 |
HoIX/DDO66 | 10605 | UGC-5336 | ACS | F814W | 4768 | 57578 | 27.92 |
HoI/DDO63 | 10605 | UGC-5139 | ACS | F555W | 4446 | 124090 | 28.38 |
HoI/DDO63 | 10605 | UGC-5139 | ACS | F814W | 5936 | 124090 | 27.88 |
KKH37/Mai16 | 10915 | KKH37 | ACS | F475W | 2469 | 15359 | 28.35 |
KKH37/Mai16 | 10915 | KKH37 | ACS | F814W | 2541 | 15359 | 27.69 |
KKH37/Mai16 | 9771 | KKH37 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 12677 | 27.95 |
KKH37/Mai16 | 9771 | KKH37 | ACS | F814W | 900 | 12677 | 27.03 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-1 | ACS | F555W | 4660 | 248026 | 27.99 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-1 | ACS | F814W | 4660 | 248026 | 27.33 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-2 | ACS | F555W | 4660 | 228107 | 28.01 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-2 | ACS | F814W | 4660 | 228107 | 27.44 |
KDG2/E540-030 | 10503 | ESO540-030 | ACS | F606W | 6720 | 18333 | 28.79 |
KDG2/E540-030 | 10503 | ESO540-030 | ACS | F814W | 6720 | 18333 | 27.93 |
MCG9-20-131 | 10905 | CGCG-269-049 | WFPC2 | F606W | 2200 | 2505 | 26.99 |
MCG9-20-131 | 10905 | CGCG-269-049 | WFPC2 | F814W | 2400 | 2505 | 25.93 |
E540-032/FG24 | 10503 | ESO540-032 | ACS | F606W | 8960 | 35910 | 28.97 |
E540-032/FG24 | 10503 | ESO540-032 | ACS | F814W | 4480 | 35910 | 27.83 |
FM1 | 9884 | M81F6D1 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | 19390 | 28.92 |
FM1 | 9884 | M81F6D1 | ACS | F814W | 9000 | 19390 | 27.85 |
KK77 | 9884 | M81F12D1 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | 58994 | 29.04 |
KK77 | 9884 | M81F12D1 | ACS | F814W | 9000 | 58994 | 28.03 |
KDG63/KK83 | 9884 | DDO71 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | 57160 | 29.04 |
KDG63/KK83 | 9884 | DDO71 | ACS | F814W | 9000 | 57160 | 28.05 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS1 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | 8523 | 27.48 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS1 | ACS | F555W | 1360 | 33232 | 27.28 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS1 | ACS | F814W | 700 | 33232 | 26.48 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS2 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | 54178 | 26.63 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS2 | ACS | F555W | 1360 | 137107 | 26.42 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS2 | ACS | F814W | 700 | 137107 | 25.95 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS3 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | 55872 | 27.19 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS3 | ACS | F555W | 1360 | 156710 | 26.81 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS3 | ACS | F814W | 700 | 156710 | 26.11 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS4 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | 8177 | 27.50 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS4 | ACS | F555W | 1360 | 31893 | 27.32 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS4 | ACS | F814W | 700 | 31893 | 26.41 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS5 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | 36981 | 27.06 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS5 | ACS | F555W | 1360 | 104935 | 26.57 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS5 | ACS | F814W | 700 | 104935 | 25.99 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS6 | ACS | F435W | 1800 | 46755 | 27.21 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS6 | ACS | F555W | 1360 | 129659 | 26.95 |
M82 | 10776 | M82-POS6 | ACS | F814W | 700 | 129659 | 26.16 |
KDG52 | 10605 | MESSIER-081-DWARF-A | ACS | F555W | 5914 | 20435 | 28.55 |
KDG52 | 10605 | MESSIER-081-DWARF-A | ACS | F814W | 5936 | 20435 | 28.05 |
DDO53 | 10605 | UGC-04459 | ACS | F555W | 4768 | 80119 | 28.34 |
DDO53 | 10605 | UGC-04459 | ACS | F814W | 4768 | 80119 | 27.74 |
N2976 | 10915 | NGC2976-DEEP | ACS | F475W | 2418 | 27361 | 28.23 |
N2976 | 10915 | NGC2976-DEEP | ACS | F606W | 18716 | 105461 | 29.17 |
N2976 | 10915 | NGC2976-DEEP | ACS | F814W | 27091 | 105461 | 28.59 |
N2976 | 10915 | NGC2976-WIDE1 | ACS | F475W | 1570 | 188324 | 27.35 |
N2976 | 10915 | NGC2976-WIDE1 | ACS | F606W | 1596 | 316439 | 27.11 |
N2976 | 10915 | NGC2976-WIDE1 | ACS | F814W | 1622 | 316439 | 26.54 |
KDG61/KK81 | 9884 | M81K61 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | 80821 | 29.09 |
KDG61/KK81 | 9884 | M81K61 | ACS | F814W | 9000 | 80821 | 28.05 |
M81 | 10523 | NGC3031-HALO-1 | ACS | F606W | 710 | 10375 | 27.83 |
M81 | 10523 | NGC3031-HALO-1 | ACS | F814W | 710 | 10375 | 26.87 |
M81 | 10523 | NGC3031-HALO-2 | ACS | F606W | 735 | 2680 | 27.85 |
M81 | 10523 | NGC3031-HALO-2 | ACS | F814W | 735 | 2680 | 26.93 |
M81 | 9796 | M81-X-9 | ACS | F435W | 2520 | 4848 | 28.08 |
M81 | 9796 | M81-X-9 | ACS | F555W | 1160 | 5197 | 27.70 |
M81 | 9796 | M81-X-9 | ACS | F814W | 1160 | 5197 | 27.22 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-1 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | 9534 | 27.72 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-1 | ACS | F606W | 1580 | 84602 | 28.01 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-1 | ACS | F814W | 1595 | 84602 | 27.19 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-2 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | 19150 | 27.81 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-2 | ACS | F606W | 1580 | 119824 | 28.09 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-2 | ACS | F814W | 1595 | 119824 | 27.19 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-3 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 12825 | 27.67 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-3 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 12825 | 27.56 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-4 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 42735 | 27.53 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-4 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 42735 | 27.39 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-5 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 58025 | 27.51 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-5 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 58025 | 27.39 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-6 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 19854 | 27.57 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-6 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 19854 | 27.35 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-7 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 25519 | 27.51 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-7 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 25519 | 27.38 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-8 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 120692 | 27.34 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-8 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 120692 | 26.99 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-9 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 103579 | 27.34 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-9 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 103579 | 27.03 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-10 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 23952 | 27.53 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-10 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 23952 | 27.37 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-11 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 64075 | 27.46 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-11 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 64075 | 27.19 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-12 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 95023 | 27.19 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-12 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 95023 | 26.76 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-13 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 100686 | 27.24 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-13 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 100686 | 26.79 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-14 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 44962 | 27.54 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-14 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 44962 | 27.37 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-15 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 48598 | 27.39 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-15 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 48598 | 27.21 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-16 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 117662 | 27.14 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-16 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 117662 | 26.45 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-17 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 121250 | 27.12 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-17 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 121250 | 26.51 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-18 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 71560 | 27.43 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-18 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 71560 | 27.21 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-19 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 46881 | 27.52 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-19 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 46881 | 27.14 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-20 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 73677 | 27.31 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-20 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 73677 | 26.95 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-21 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 68530 | 27.29 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-21 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 68530 | 26.91 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-22 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 28643 | 27.57 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-22 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 28643 | 27.42 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-23 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 27747 | 27.59 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-23 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 27747 | 27.49 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-24 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 65543 | 27.53 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-24 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 65543 | 27.35 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-25 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 66215 | 27.47 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-25 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 66215 | 27.23 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-26 | ACS | F435W | 1200 | 13045 | 27.65 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-26 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 13045 | 27.36 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-27 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | 18484 | 27.53 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-27 | ACS | F606W | 1580 | 135993 | 27.98 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-27 | ACS | F814W | 1595 | 135993 | 27.26 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-28 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | 25018 | 27.67 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-28 | ACS | F606W | 1580 | 189968 | 28.00 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-28 | ACS | F814W | 1595 | 189968 | 27.16 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-29 | ACS | F435W | 1565 | 7337 | 27.67 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-29 | ACS | F606W | 1580 | 80917 | 28.07 |
M81 | 10584 | M81-FIELD-29 | ACS | F814W | 1595 | 80917 | 27.33 |
M81 | 10915 | M81-DEEP | ACS | F475W | 2418 | 24403 | 28.38 |
M81 | 10915 | M81-DEEP | ACS | F606W | 24132 | 171085 | 29.78 |
M81 | 10915 | M81-DEEP | ACS | F814W | 29853 | 171085 | 29.06 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE1 | ACS | F475W | 2253 | 127347 | 28.18 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE1 | ACS | F606W | 2280 | 193375 | 28.05 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE1 | ACS | F814W | 2250 | 193375 | 27.23 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE2 | ACS | F475W | 1480 | 256673 | 27.59 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE2 | ACS | F606W | 1507 | 365102 | 27.41 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE2 | ACS | F814W | 1534 | 365102 | 26.75 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE3 | ACS | F475W | 1480 | 313441 | 27.25 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE3 | ACS | F606W | 1507 | 428443 | 26.99 |
N247 | 10915 | NGC0247-WIDE3 | ACS | F814W | 1534 | 428443 | 26.35 |
HoIX/DDO66 | 10605 | UGC-5336 | ACS | F555W | 4768 | 57578 | 28.46 |
HoIX/DDO66 | 10605 | UGC-5336 | ACS | F814W | 4768 | 57578 | 27.92 |
KDG64/KK85 | 9884 | M81K64 | ACS | F606W | 17200 | 68437 | 29.26 |
KDG64/KK85 | 9884 | M81K64 | ACS | F814W | 9000 | 68437 | 28.42 |
IKN | 9771 | IKN | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 24617 | 28.03 |
IKN | 9771 | IKN | ACS | F814W | 900 | 24617 | 26.97 |
KDG73 | 10915 | KDG73 | ACS | F475W | 2250 | 7915 | 28.42 |
KDG73 | 10915 | KDG73 | ACS | F814W | 2274 | 7915 | 27.65 |
DDO78/KK89 | 10915 | DDO78 | ACS | F475W | 2274 | 36488 | 28.23 |
DDO78/KK89 | 10915 | DDO78 | ACS | F814W | 2292 | 36488 | 27.55 |
F8D1 | 5898 | GAL-094447+672619 | WFPC2 | F555W | 9000 | 14226 | 27.84 |
F8D1 | 5898 | GAL-094447+672619 | WFPC2 | F814W | 15200 | 14226 | 27.05 |
F8D1 | 5898 | GAL-094447+672619 | WFPC2 | F555W | 9000 | 11274 | 27.78 |
F8D1 | 5898 | GAL-094447+672619 | WFPC2 | F814W | 11400 | 11274 | 26.92 |
BK5N | 5898 | GAL-100441+681522 | WFPC2 | F555W | 5400 | 2602 | 27.67 |
BK5N | 5898 | GAL-100441+681522 | WFPC2 | F814W | 11400 | 2602 | 27.02 |
BK5N | 6964 | GAL-100441+681522 | WFPC2 | F555W | 15600 | 2332 | 27.78 |
BK5N | 6964 | GAL-100441+681522 | WFPC2 | F814W | 21340 | 2332 | 26.95 |
N3077 | 9381 | NGC3077-PHOENIX | ACS | F435W | 6000 | 64463 | 28.72 |
N3077 | 9381 | NGC3077-PHOENIX | ACS | F555W | 9600 | 170978 | 28.87 |
N3077 | 9381 | NGC3077-PHOENIX | ACS | F814W | 19200 | 170978 | 28.35 |
N3077 | 10915 | NGC3077-WIDE1 | ACS | F475W | 1570 | 260710 | 27.25 |
N3077 | 10915 | NGC3077-WIDE1 | ACS | F606W | 1596 | 441992 | 26.91 |
N3077 | 10915 | NGC3077-WIDE1 | ACS | F814W | 1622 | 441992 | 26.04 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-1 | ACS | F555W | 4660 | 248026 | 27.99 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-1 | ACS | F814W | 4660 | 248026 | 27.33 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-2 | ACS | F555W | 4660 | 228107 | 28.01 |
HoII/DDO50 | 10605 | UGC-4305-2 | ACS | F814W | 4660 | 228107 | 27.44 |
HoIX/DDO66 | 10605 | UGC-5336 | ACS | F555W | 4768 | 57578 | 28.46 |
HoIX/DDO66 | 10605 | UGC-5336 | ACS | F814W | 4768 | 57578 | 27.92 |
HoI/DDO63 | 10605 | UGC-5139 | ACS | F555W | 4446 | 124090 | 28.38 |
HoI/DDO63 | 10605 | UGC-5139 | ACS | F814W | 5936 | 124090 | 27.88 |
A0952+69 | 10915 | A0952+69 | ACS | F475W | 2250 | 7829 | 28.39 |
A0952+69 | 10915 | A0952+69 | ACS | F814W | 2265 | 7829 | 27.66 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE1 | ACS | F475W | 2256 | 172461 | 28.13 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE1 | ACS | F606W | 2283 | 293245 | 28.03 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE1 | ACS | F814W | 2253 | 293245 | 27.26 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE2 | ACS | F475W | 1482 | 295259 | 27.40 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE2 | ACS | F606W | 1508 | 435887 | 27.19 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE2 | ACS | F814W | 1534 | 435887 | 26.50 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE3 | ACS | F475W | 1482 | 242556 | 26.75 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE3 | ACS | F606W | 1508 | 427580 | 26.63 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE3 | ACS | F814W | 1534 | 427580 | 25.83 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE4 | ACS | F475W | 1482 | 285492 | 26.39 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE4 | ACS | F606W | 1508 | 418057 | 26.24 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE4 | ACS | F814W | 1534 | 418057 | 25.37 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE5 | ACS | F475W | 1482 | 232863 | 25.71 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE5 | ACS | F606W | 1508 | 348386 | 25.65 |
N253 | 10915 | NGC0253-WIDE5 | ACS | F814W | 1534 | 348386 | 24.66 |
N253 | 10523 | NGC0253-HALO-11 | ACS | F606W | 680 | 28390 | 27.50 |
N253 | 10523 | NGC0253-HALO-11 | ACS | F814W | 680 | 28390 | 26.62 |
HS117 | 9771 | HS117 | ACS | F606W | 1200 | 7308 | 28.03 |
HS117 | 9771 | HS117 | ACS | F814W | 900 | 7308 | 27.10 |
DDO82 | 10915 | DDO82 | ACS | F475W | 2400 | 106760 | 28.18 |
DDO82 | 10915 | DDO82 | ACS | F606W | 2454 | 172897 | 28.21 |
DDO82 | 10915 | DDO82 | ACS | F814W | 2442 | 172897 | 27.58 |
BK3N | 10915 | BK3N | ACS | F475W | 2250 | 8180 | 28.43 |
BK3N | 10915 | BK3N | ACS | F814W | 2265 | 8180 | 27.61 |
I2574 | 10605 | IC-2574-1-COPY | ACS | F555W | 4784 | 285585 | 27.95 |
I2574 | 10605 | IC-2574-1-COPY | ACS | F814W | 4784 | 285585 | 27.34 |
I2574 | 10605 | IC-2574-2 | ACS | F555W | 4784 | 157937 | 28.26 |
I2574 | 10605 | IC-2574-2 | ACS | F814W | 4784 | 157937 | 27.74 |
I2574 | 9755 | IC2574-SGS | ACS | F435W | 6000 | 292177 | 28.29 |
I2574 | 9755 | IC2574-SGS | ACS | F555W | 6400 | 358327 | 28.23 |
I2574 | 9755 | IC2574-SGS | ACS | F814W | 6400 | 358327 | 27.63 |
Sc22 | 10503 | SCL-DE1 | ACS | F606W | 17920 | 77241 | 29.10 |
Sc22 | 10503 | SCL-DE1 | ACS | F814W | 17920 | 77241 | 28.41 |
Notes. Exposure times may differ from those in Table 3 when individual fields were unusable.
While these cuts do an excellent job of restricting the catalogs to stellar sources, we have noted occasional limits to star-galaxy separation near the photometric limits of the data, and spurious "stellar" sources in the diffraction spikes of extremely bright stars. If these issues are of critical importance for a particular scientific project, we recommend additional culling using information from galaxy-specific photometry packages such as SExtractor (Bertin & Arnouts 1996) to mask out possible sources of contamination.
We also note that star–galaxy separation is frequently impossible for sources near the photometric limit, even in high-resolution HST data. Some fraction of the faintest sources in the photometric catalogs are therefore likely to be unresolved background galaxies. We do not think that these sources are a significant issue for most analyses, however, since they represent a negligible fraction of the sources in the main body of most galaxies. To quantify this, we can use the WFPC2 field for IC5152. This field has a completeness limit of 26.45 mag in F814W and contains 325 objects in the cleaned *.gst catalog (described below), over an area of 5.65 arcmin2. The field unfortunately fell beyond the radius where IC5152's disk truncates, and thus the majority of the 325 objects are likely to be either foreground MW stars or unresolved background galaxies. We can then take 57.5 stars per square arcminute to be the upper limit for the contamination in observations of this depth.
We can scale the IC5152 data to other completeness limits, using the observed galaxy number counts given in Figure 3(b) of Windhorst et al. (2008). Over the range of depths for the ANGST data, the slope in the galaxy number counts scales as log10(N1/N2) ≈ 0.32(mlim,1 − mlim,2). We have applied this scaling relation to the data in Table 4 to calculate the upper limit on the fraction of sources that could potentially be contaminants in each field. After IC5152 itself (which has 100% contamination by definition), the next highest contamination fraction is 35% for an outer halo field of M81 (NGC3031-HALO-2), which lies well beyond the main body of the galaxy. All other contamination fractions are less than 23%, and 90% have maximum contamination fractions of less than 10%. Given that most ANGST targets take up less than one third of the total chip area, the contribution of unresolved galaxies to the CMD is likely to be less than 3% within the galaxy radius in almost all cases.
7. WFPC2 PHOTOMETRY
After the failure of ACS and the transfer of our program to WFPC2, we adopted the WFPC2 pipeline previously used by Holtzman et al. (2006) for their archival study of Local Group dwarfs. We briefly summarize the key features of the pipeline here, but refer the interested reader to the more extensive documentation in Holtzman et al. (2006).
The Holtzman et al. (2006) pipeline operates on images processed with the standard STScI baseline processing. Photometry is performed using HSTphot (Dolphin 2000), a predecessor of DOLPHOT that is optimized for WFPC2 images. HSTphot shares DOLPHOT's basic strategy of using Tiny Tim PSFs supplemented with image-based aperture corrections to derive photometry from unstacked images that have not been distortion corrected or drizzled. HSTphot adopts the photometric calibration given in Holtzman et al. (1995), updated with improved calibrations from http://purcell.as.arizona.edu/wfpc2_calib/. Note that the WFPC2 photometric system is defined such that Vega has a magnitude in each WFPC2 filter corresponding to Vega's magnitude in the nearest UBVRI filter; the different definition of the zero points in the WFPC2 and ACS photometric systems leads to offsets of 0.02–0.04 mag between the calibrated magnitudes of the two instruments (see Section 8.2).
The only significant difference from the Holtzman et al. (2006) pipeline is that the current version of HSTphot uses the latest (2008 July) CTE corrections derived by A. Dolphin (http://purcell.as.arizona.edu/wfpc2_calib/). Compared to the Dolphin et al. (2002) prescription, the new CTE calibration no longer assumes that background and stellar brightness factors are independent, leading to somewhat fainter WFPC2 magnitudes than previous calibrations, and many fewer systemic offsets in the residuals. Using a typical ANGST wide field observation as a baseline, the switch to the new CTE correction changes the CTE correction for a V = 22 mag star from 0.052 mag to 0.115 mag in F606W and from 0.067 mag to 0.123 mag in F814W, for a background sky level of ∼100 counts pixel−1 in both filters. For a fainter V = 28 mag star, the CTE changes from 0.328 mag to 0.214 mag in F606W and from 0.438 mag to 0.238 mag in F814W. The much lower level of residuals in the new CTE calibration suggests accuracy in the bright end of 0.01–0.02 mag. At the fainter end, it is much more difficult to assess any systematic offsets, as they are much smaller than the photometric uncertainties.
After processing by the Holtzman et al. (2006) pipeline, we integrate the photometry into the database shared by the main ACS pipeline. Slight differences in the WFPC2 and ACS keywords used the released data tables are described below in Section 10.
8. PHOTOMETRIC TESTS
The photometric pipeline produces catalogs of multi-filter photometry and estimates of the photometric uncertainty for each measurement. These uncertainties include Poisson flux errors, uncertainties in the sky determination, and uncertainties in the subtraction of neighboring objects. They do not include systematic errors due to spatial and temporal variation of the PSF (i.e., Jee et al. 2007; Rhodes et al. 2006; ACS ISR 07-12, ACS-ISR 06-01), in the absolute calibration of the photometric system, and in the accuracy of the adopted CTE corrections (which were in flux at the time that this data was released). To assess the degree of systematic errors, and the accuracy of the reported uncertainties, we have performed a series of consistency checks to measure shifts in the photometry of individual stars measured multiple times, in different portions of the FOV, and for different instruments. All tests use the conservative photometric catalogs, to allow the greatest sensitivity to systematic errors.
8.1. Repeated ACS Measurements
We first analyze the magnitude difference between stars measured in two individual single-orbit F814W ACS exposures from the M81 deep field. The exposures were taken during a single visit, which minimizes any temporal changes in the PSF. The exposures also had only modest (01–02) dithers between them, allowing us to minimize systematic errors in modeling the spatial variations in the PSF. Crowding errors should likewise be minimal, given the low stellar density within the field. This test case therefore offers the "best case scenario" for agreement between repeated measurements, and sets a lower bound to our expected error distribution in less than optimal cases.
To measure magnitude differences closer to the "worst-case scenario" for ACS, we also analyze repeated measurements of stars that fall in the overlap region in the wide field tiling of NGC 300, between WIDE1 and WIDE2. These stars lie in the most highly distorted regions of the ACS chip, and have close to the maximum possible offset in their locations on the chips between the two images, making them a highly sensitive test of the uncertainties produced by errors in the PSF that DOLPHOT adopts from Tiny Tim. The images were also taken two days apart in separate visits, making them somewhat sensitive to temporal changes in the PSF as well. However, as there was little change in the Y-position of the stars, this comparison has no sensitivity to systematic errors produced by CTE.
Finally, we measure the magnitude differences between the measured and the "true" magnitudes of artificial stars, added to the same overlap region analyzed above for NGC 300. In this case, the stars are recovered with a PSF that is identical to that used for generating the artificial stars. This case therefore minimizes effects due to PSF uncertainty. However, it remains sensitive to errors due to Poisson variations in the flux and the sky background, and due to contamination from nearby stars. Note that the error distributions are expected to be different from the previous two tests, which probed magnitude differences between repeated measurements of stars with identical crowding and sky backgrounds, not the magnitude differences from truth.
In Figure 7, we plot the cumulative distribution of magnitude differences between repeated measurements of individual stars, scaled by the quadrature sum of the uncertainties reported in the individual measurements (i.e., Δm/σm, where Δm ≡ m1 − m2 and σ2m = σ2m1 + σ2m2 and m1 and m2 refer to the measurements of a single star in two different images). The distributions are generated for all stars in a limited magnitude range, in steps of 1 mag, with fainter bins plotted with darker lines. The distributions for brighter stars have insufficient numbers of stars to be reliable, and are not plotted. In red, we plot the distribution of scaled magnitude differences that would be expected if the magnitude differences were distributed as a Gaussian with width σm. The left panel contains only stars in the overlap region (∼600 pixels wide), and the right panel contains stars for the whole frame.
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Standard image High-resolution imageThe distributions of magnitude differences between repeated measurements show a number of features. First, even in the worst case scenario of large positional shifts, the magnitude differences are essentially unbiased. The median magnitude difference is less than 5% of the reported uncertainty in all cases, such that repeated measurements of given isochrone features will converge on the same magnitude, even when observed with different parts of chip, or with multiple exposures. There is a slight tendency, however, for the bias to be somewhat larger when large positional shifts are present, particularly for the brighter stars. This indicates that there are indeed small systematic errors in the assumed PSF that are more noticeable when the wings of the PSF are well exposed. However, these biases will be swamped by the intrinsic random and crowding errors, as well as Poisson uncertainties, and thus can safely be neglected in almost all practical applications.
The second feature of the distributions is their tendency to be wider than a Gaussian whose width is set by the reported uncertainties. The true distributions are broader and more flat-topped than expected. This leads to larger numbers of stars at a given magnitude difference than one would predict for a perfect Gaussian error distribution. This difference is most pronounced for the brightest stars. However, even the largest shifts do not produce measurable tails beyond 5σm, so while the shape of the error distribution differs from a Gaussian, we do not detect more than 1–2 stars with Δm>5σm in our analysis regions.
We can get clues to the origin of the increased width by noting that the discrepancy from a Gaussian is larger for brighter stars, for which the distribution becomes closer to a uniform "top hat." We believe that a significant fraction of this broadening is actually due to the limited precision of the errors and magnitudes reported by DOLPHOT. Catalog values of Δm and σm are quantized at the 0.001 mag level, rather than being true continuous variables. This quantization has the largest impact on the distribution of Δm/σm when errors and magnitude differences are close to the level of quantization, as they are for the brightest stars. Not until the faintest magnitude bins do the errors approach the distribution expected for a continuous variable.
In Figure 8 we show the distribution of magnitude differences between the true and the measured magnitudes (Δm ≡ mtrue − mmeasured, and σm ≡ σm,measured) of artificial stars added to and recovered from the images, for a series of magnitude bins. These distributions are quite different than the distributions for repeated measurements, as would be expected. First, the distributions are highly skewed, producing a large tail toward measured magnitudes that are brighter than the true magnitude. This skewing results when artificial stars land on or near a star that would otherwise be undetected. The flux from the previously undetected star adds to the artificial star, biasing the measured flux upward. Such a bias would not be apparent in a repeated measurement, as both measurements would share the same bias. The skewing is most severe for the faintest stars, where the additional flux from undetected stars produces the largest fractional change in the detected flux. Moreover, the sample of faint recovered stars will be biased toward stars with heavily contaminated fluxes, given that such stars are preferentially detected; this effect is reduced for brighter stars, which are detectable whether or not an undetected companion falls within the PSF.
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Standard image High-resolution imageThe second feature apparent in the comparison between true and measured magnitudes is that the distributions are systematically broader than a Gaussian with a standard deviation equal to the magnitude uncertainty reported for the measured star. This deviation is not surprising, given that the uncertainties are not due solely to Poisson counting statistics, and are thus unlikely to have distributions that approach a perfect Gaussian.
8.2. WFPC2-ACS Comparison
Due to the failure of ACS, we are releasing photometry both from WFPC2 and ACS. Differences between these two photometric systems are expected due to different instrumental responses, CTE corrections, and absolute photometric calibrations between the two photometric systems. We have made an initial assessment of the degree of possible systematic offsets using observations of the dwarf elliptical DDO 44, which was observed with WFPC2 (GO-8137) in January of 2001, and with ACS as part of ANGST in September of 2006. Both data sets were processed with the respective WFPC2 and ACS pipelines described above. Stars were automatically matched between the two catalogs using the closest positional match in right ascension and declination, after solving for shifts and rotation between the two fields. We consider only pairs of stars that agreed in magnitude to within 10σm, where σm is the magnitude error from the quadrature sum of the error in each pair of stars; this procedure produced good matches for ≳90% of the overlapping stars, though there are clearly occasional spurious matches as well. The resulting matched catalog was restricted further to include only stars above the approximate completeness limit of each data set (mF814W brighter than 26.0 and 26.1 for the WFPC2 and ACS data sets, respectively). Comparisons were made in the F814W filter, which is the only overlapping filter between the two sets of observations.
Before comparing mF814W,WFPC2 to mF814W,ACS, we need to account for the different zero-point definitions in the ACS and WFPC2 photometric systems. Both systems are relative to Vega, but the ACS system defines Vega to have 0 mag in all ACS filters, while the WFPC2 system defines Vega to have a magnitude corresponding to Vega's magnitude in the nearest UBVRI filter. For F814W, Vega has mF814W,WFPC2 = 0.035. As a result, 0.035 mag must be added to the ACS F814W photometry to compare the results on the same system.22 The systems will also differ for stars of a different color than Vega to the extent that the system response of the ACS F814W filter+camera+detector system differs from that of WFPC2.
We examined the resulting magnitude differences as a function of magnitude, color, and Y-position on the chip. At almost all magnitude levels, the systematic errors are dominated by the random errors in the photometry (which themselves are dominated by Poisson counting variations and residual flux from crowding). However, we do detect residual systematic errors at the few percent level, which vary steadily with Y on either instrument, indicating low level problems with the adopted CTE corrections in both WFPC2 and ACS. Updated CTE corrections for ACS are in progress at STScI, but these corrections were not ready in time for reducing the data for this release. Given that these corrections are typically swamped by random errors and are smaller than current uncertainties in the stellar isochrones that are used to interpret the CMDs, we decided to release the data as is. Subsequent releases will include the new CTE corrections as they become available. We also detected possible signs of a color-dependence in the magnitude differences between the WFPC2 and ACS F814W VEGAMAGS, which appear to be larger than expected based on synthetic filter curves. A definitive diagnosis of this dependence must wait until the improved CTE corrections for ACS are implemented, but should the effect persist, then there may be an additional few percent uncertainty in the instrumental response of either WFPC2 or ACS or both.
9. ASTROMETRY
Astrometry for the photometric catalogs was initially taken from the FITS headers of the original HST images, which have astrometry that is accurate to 1 − 2''. Recently, the Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA) improved on the default astrometry using the Guide Star Catalog (GSC), the SDSS, and the 2MASS. The revised astrometric solutions have a typical rms of 0.1 − 03 in most cases. There are many cases in our data set where the rms is much larger, due to using faint (or non-existent) sources in the GSC, or cosmic rays in the image during matching. In these cases, new astrometric positions will have to be derived by hand. Because this process is almost always limited by the lack of astrometric standards within nearby galaxies, in many cases 1''–2'' uncertainties remain, and will have to be dealt with in future releases by using a system of secondary astrometric standards defined in wide-field ground-based imaging.
Relative photometry within a given field is usually accurate to a fraction of a pixel, and the absolute position is good to a few pixels in most cases. However, in applications requiring subarcsecond accuracy of the absolute astrometric position (e.g., such as slit masks or comparisons with multi-wavelength data), users should consider making an independent astrometric solution. We will continue to release improved astrometric solutions as they become available, including time-dependent geometric distortion corrections as well.
10. DATA PRODUCTS
Binary FITS tables of photometry for the ANGST sample have been released through the Multimission Archive at STScI (MAST: http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/angst/), and can also be accessed interactively through the project Web site (http://www.nearbygalaxies.org). File names and field names were taken from the image headers and are of the format PROPOSID-TARGNAME, where PROPOSID is the value of the header keyword "PROPOSID" and TARGNAME is the value of the header keyword "TARGNAME." The naming conventions and column names for the files are summarized below, and are contained in the headers of the fits files themselves.
*.param: DOLPHOT parameter files: These files provide the parameters used by DOLPHOT when measuring the photometry, and are useful for interpreting the columns in the raw photometry files. These files are currently only available on the project Web site.
*.phot: Raw photometry files: These large ASCII files contain the raw output from DOLPHOT. Descriptions of the columns can be found in the DOLPHOT manual (http://purcell.as.arizona.edu/dolphot/). The listing of individual columns can be found on the project Web site.
*.st.fits: Star files: these files contain the photometry of all objects classified as stars (object type <= 2) with S/N > 4 and data flag < 8. Compared to the *.gst files described below, these files will contain more objects and have higher completeness in crowded regions, at the expense of producing less well defined CMDs with more potential contamination from background galaxies. Columns are X, Y, RA, DEC, MAG1_ACS (or MAG1_WFPC2 in WFPC2 files), MAG1_STD, MAG1_ERR, CHI1, SHARP1, CROWD1, SNR1, FLAG1 (or CHIP in WFPC2 files), MAG2_ACS (or MAG2_WFPC2 in WFPC2 files), MAG2_STD, MAG2_ERR, CHI2, SHARP2, CROWD2, SNR2, FLAG2 (or FLAG in WFPC2 files). These values are defined as follows. X and Y positions are relative to positions on the drizzled reference image. The MAG1 and MAG2 values refer to the filters given in the file name and in the FITS header. ACS magnitudes are VEGAMAGs, which are calibrated by setting the zero point of each filter so that the magnitude of Vega is 0.0 (Sirianni et al. 2005). WFPC2 magnitudes are VEGAMAGs, which are calibrated by setting the zero point of each filter so that the magnitude of Vega is 0.035 in most ANGST filters (Holtzman et al. 1995). STD magnitudes have been converted from VEGAMAGs to standard Johnson–Cousins magnitudes for the nearest Johnson–Cousins filter (B, V, or I) using the transformation equations of Sirianni et al. (2005; ACS) and Holtzman et al. (1995; WFPC2). The DOLPHOT CHI value indicates the goodness of the PSF fit, with values of <1.5-2.5 being reasonable for uncrowded well-exposed stars, and values of up to 4-5 being expected for either blended but unresolved stars, or for stars in crowded regions. The SHARP parameter indicates the deviation from a perfect PSF profile, with positive values indicating profiles that are too sharp (such as cosmic rays), and negative values indicating profiles that are too broad (such as unresolved blends, clusters, or background galaxies). The SNR value gives the signal-to-noise with which the star was detected. The CROWD parameter is in magnitudes, and indicates how much brighter the star would have been if flux from nearby stars had not been subtracted. FLAG1 and FLAG2 are the DOLPHOT quality flags for each filter as described in the manual. FLAG is the Holtzman et al. (2006) quality flag used in the Local Group Stellar Populations Archive. Further details can be found in the DOLPHOT manual.
*.gst.fits: "Good" star files: These files contain the stars that pass the conservative ANGST quality cuts for sharpness and crowding (sharp1 + sharp2)2⩽ 0.075 and crowd1 + crowd2 ⩽ 0.1), in addition to the S/N and flag criteria. Columns and header information are the same as for the *.st.fits files.
The field names, number of stars, and 50% completeness limits can be found in Table 4.
The MAST archive for ANGST also includes copies of the reference images to which all X–Y positions are tied. For ACS, the reference image is a single dithered image in the deepest filter. For WFPC2, there are four reference images, one for each chip on the camera.
11. COLOR–MAGNITUDE DIAGRAMS
In Figures 9–22 we present CMDs for all of the fields listed in Tables 2 and 3. The plotted photometry is drawn from the high-quality (*.gst.fits) catalogs. As described above, these quality cuts produce the most well-defined features in the CMD, at the expense of completeness in high-crowding regions (such as the densest stellar clusters). In regions of high stellar density on the CMD, data are plotted as contoured Hess diagrams, with contours drawn at levels of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20 ×104 stars mag−2. Characteristic photometric uncertainties are shown with error bars on the left side of the CMDs in Figures 9–22.
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Standard image High-resolution imageThe ANGST CMDs show a richness of detail, thanks to their depth, high photometric accuracy, and large number of stars. As a guide to interpreting the many features visible in these CMDs, in Figure 23 we plot simulated CMDs that show the locations of different stellar populations, as a function of age (right) and metallicity (left). The plots show the CMDs expected for a constant star formation rate color-coded by age (left) and for an early burst of star formation color-coded by metallicity (right), assuming photometric uncertainties typical for our data at the inner (left panel) and the outer (right) distances of the ANGST target galaxies.
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Standard image High-resolution imageAs has been discussed extensively elsewhere (e.g., Gallart et al. 2005, and references therein), the simulated CMDs show how young stellar populations are found primarily in the upper left of the CMD, older stellar populations are found at lower luminosities and redder colors along the RGB and AGB, and metal rich stars are found at redder colors for older stellar populations. We do not plot the metallicity dependence of younger stars, since the color of the main sequence has essentially no metal dependence for the filters used in this data release.
Also overlaid on Figure 23 are tracks indicating the typical locations of young main-sequence stars, of blue and red core helium burning stars (BHeB and RHeB), and AGB stars. Among these features, the blue and red core helium burning sequences are the least widely known, since they are only visible when the CMD is well populated. We note that the HeB sequences can produce potentially confusing features in the CMD. In particular, the upper end of the blue core helium burning sequence can be easily mistaken for a "double" main sequence. Additional vertical sequences sometimes appear where BHeB stars pass through the instability strip, leading to a nearly vertical spread in magnitude for variable stars observed only at a single epoch.
12. MAGNITUDE OF THE TIP OF THE RED GIANT BRANCH
In Table 5 we list the F814W magnitude of the TRGB for each galaxy. TRGB magnitudes were determined using the edge-detection filter described in Méndez et al. (2002) applied to a Gaussian-smoothed luminosity function as in Sakai et al. (1996) and Seth et al. (2005b). Although more sophisticated techniques exist (e.g., Makarov et al. 2006; Frayn & Gilmore 2003), the TRGB in our sample is typically well-populated and falls well above the photometric limit of the data, making our use of the widely used and calibrated edge-detection technique adequate for an initial distance measurement.
Table 5. TRGB Meauremnts
Catalog Name | Target Name | Filters | Nstars | AV | Mean Color | MTRGB (F814W) | mTRGB (raw) | mTRGB | (m − M)0 | D ( Mpc) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antlia | ANTLIA | F606W,F814W | 169 | 0.243 | 1.05 | −4.04 | 21.642 | 21.503 ± 0.011 | 25.546 | 1.29 ± 0.015 |
SexA | DDO75 | F555W,F814W | 276 | 0.139 | 1.34 | −3.95 | 21.835 | 21.756 ± 0.033 | 25.705 | 1.38 ± 0.050 |
N3109 | NGC3109-WIDE1 | F606W,F814W | 355 | 0.201 | 1.04 | −4.00 | 21.608 | 21.493 ± 0.018 | 25.498 | 1.26 ± 0.025 |
N3109 | NGC3109-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 263 | 0.201 | 1.01 | −3.98 | 21.687 | 21.572 ± 0.014 | 25.551 | 1.29 ± 0.019 |
SexB | SEXB-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 754 | 0.095 | 0.98 | −3.95 | 21.824 | 21.770 ± 0.024 | 25.720 | 1.39 ± 0.036 |
KKR25 | KKR25 | F606W,F814W | 80 | 0.027 | 1.00 | −3.96 | 22.479 | 22.464 ± 0.022 | 26.428 | 1.93 ± 0.047 |
KK230 | KK230 | F606W,F814W | 47 | 0.043 | 1.00 | −4.00 | 22.492 | 22.467 ± 0.026 | 26.472 | 1.97 ± 0.055 |
E410-005 | ESO410-005 | F606W,F814W | 194 | 0.042 | 1.06 | −4.05 | 22.493 | 22.469 ± 0.042 | 26.514 | 2.01 ± 0.090 |
E294-010 | ESO294-010 | F606W,F814W | 95 | 0.018 | 1.06 | −4.05 | 22.397 | 22.386 ± 0.008 | 26.434 | 1.94 ± 0.017 |
N55 | NGC0055-WIDE1 | F606W,F814W | 1075 | 0.041 | 1.11 | −4.00 | 22.650 | 22.626 ± 0.013 | 26.622 | 2.11 ± 0.029 |
N55 | NGC0055-WIDE2 | F606W,F814W | 1278 | 0.041 | 1.12 | −3.99 | 22.658 | 22.635 ± 0.020 | 26.629 | 2.12 ± 0.045 |
N55 | NGC0055-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 323 | 0.041 | 1.06 | −4.01 | 22.615 | 22.591 ± 0.011 | 26.604 | 2.09 ± 0.025 |
N55 | NGC0055-DISK | F606W,F814W | 7829 | 0.041 | 1.17 | −4.02 | 22.590 | 22.566 ± 0.014 | 26.586 | 2.08 ± 0.031 |
GR8 | GR8 | F475W,F814W | 367 | 0.080 | 2.27 | −4.03 | 22.607 | 22.561 ± 0.010 | 26.588 | 2.08 ± 0.022 |
N300 | NGC0300-WIDE1 | F475W,F814W | 865 | 0.039 | 2.67 | −4.02 | 22.493 | 22.471 ± 0.035 | 26.486 | 1.98 ± 0.076 |
N300 | NGC0300-WIDE1 | F606W,F814W | 1366 | 0.039 | 1.33 | −4.02 | 22.519 | 22.497 ± 0.015 | 26.518 | 2.01 ± 0.033 |
N300 | NGC300-5 | F435W,F814W | 829 | 0.039 | 3.40 | −4.02 | 22.421 | 22.399 ± 0.014 | 26.421 | 1.92 ± 0.029 |
N300 | NGC300-5 | F555W,F814W | 858 | 0.039 | 1.85 | −4.02 | 22.437 | 22.415 ± 0.014 | 26.435 | 1.94 ± 0.029 |
N300 | NGC300-6 | F435W,F814W | 760 | 0.039 | 3.41 | −4.02 | 22.527 | 22.505 ± 0.014 | 26.527 | 2.02 ± 0.031 |
N300 | NGC300-6 | F555W,F814W | 753 | 0.039 | 1.81 | −4.02 | 22.531 | 22.508 ± 0.023 | 26.531 | 2.02 ± 0.051 |
UA438 | E407-G18 | F606W,F814W | 715 | 0.045 | 1.05 | −4.01 | 22.708 | 22.683 ± 0.038 | 26.690 | 2.18 ± 0.091 |
DDO187 | UGC9128 | F606W,F814W | 459 | 0.071 | 1.03 | −4.03 | 22.732 | 22.692 ± 0.028 | 26.717 | 2.21 ± 0.068 |
KKH98 | KKH98 | F475W,F814W | 294 | 0.385 | 2.23 | −4.04 | 23.207 | 22.988 ± 0.012 | 27.023 | 2.54 ± 0.033 |
DDO125 | UGC7577 | F606W,F814W | 1990 | 0.064 | 1.07 | −4.01 | 23.081 | 23.045 ± 0.023 | 27.057 | 2.58 ± 0.065 |
U8508 | UGC8508 | F475W,F814W | 738 | 0.047 | 2.23 | −4.03 | 23.050 | 23.024 ± 0.011 | 27.058 | 2.58 ± 0.032 |
KKH86 | KKH71 | F606W,F814W | 108 | 0.083 | 1.01 | −3.98 | 23.134 | 23.087 ± 0.068 | 27.063 | 2.59 ± 0.189 |
DDO99 | UGC6817 | F606W,F814W | 668 | 0.081 | 0.99 | −3.96 | 23.152 | 23.106 ± 0.059 | 27.068 | 2.59 ± 0.166 |
DDO190 | DDO190 | F606W,F814W | 1267 | 0.038 | 1.06 | −4.05 | 23.205 | 23.184 ± 0.014 | 27.230 | 2.79 ± 0.042 |
DDO113 | DDO113 | F475W,F814W | 706 | 0.063 | 2.16 | −4.05 | 23.337 | 23.302 ± 0.026 | 27.349 | 2.95 ± 0.083 |
N4214 | NGC4214-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 563 | 0.068 | 1.13 | −3.99 | 23.464 | 23.426 ± 0.015 | 27.414 | 3.04 ± 0.048 |
DDO181 | UGC8651 | F606W,F814W | 637 | 0.019 | 1.03 | −4.03 | 23.472 | 23.462 ± 0.015 | 27.487 | 3.14 ± 0.053 |
N3741 | NGC3741 | F475W,F814W | 987 | 0.077 | 2.18 | −4.05 | 23.552 | 23.509 ± 0.037 | 27.554 | 3.24 ± 0.130 |
N4163 | NGC4163 | F475W,F814W | 1650 | 0.062 | 2.39 | −4.02 | 23.300 | 23.264 ± 0.014 | 27.283 | 2.86 ± 0.043 |
N4163 | NGC4163 | F606W,F814W | 1513 | 0.062 | 1.11 | −4.03 | 23.298 | 23.263 ± 0.013 | 27.296 | 2.88 ± 0.040 |
N404 | NGC0404-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 2104 | 0.181 | 1.25 | −3.99 | 23.538 | 23.434 ± 0.013 | 27.423 | 3.05 ± 0.042 |
UA292 | UGCA292 | F475W,F814W | 166 | 0.048 | 1.92 | −3.98 | 23.841 | 23.813 ± 0.023 | 27.792 | 3.62 ± 0.091 |
UA292 | UGCA292 | F606W,F814W | 112 | 0.048 | 0.98 | −3.98 | 23.834 | 23.806 ± 0.019 | 27.790 | 3.61 ± 0.076 |
U8833 | UGC8833 | F606W,F814W | 522 | 0.037 | 1.04 | −4.04 | 23.431 | 23.410 ± 0.020 | 27.446 | 3.08 ± 0.067 |
DDO183 | UGC8760 | F606W,F814W | 604 | 0.051 | 1.05 | −4.04 | 23.527 | 23.498 ± 0.039 | 27.542 | 3.22 ± 0.135 |
N2366 | NGC-2366-2 | F555W,F814W | 2566 | 0.113 | 1.50 | −4.05 | 23.555 | 23.490 ± 0.014 | 27.535 | 3.21 ± 0.048 |
DDO44 | DDO44 | F475W,F814W | 811 | 0.129 | 2.26 | −4.03 | 23.499 | 23.426 ± 0.015 | 27.454 | 3.10 ± 0.051 |
E321-014 | PGC39032 | F606W,F814W | 320 | 0.293 | 1.04 | −4.00 | 23.672 | 23.505 ± 0.066 | 27.509 | 3.18 ± 0.227 |
U4483 | UGC4483 | F555W,F814W | 302 | 0.105 | 1.34 | −3.94 | 23.782 | 23.722 ± 0.032 | 27.666 | 3.41 ± 0.117 |
N2403 | NGC2403-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 629 | 0.124 | 1.11 | −4.00 | 23.593 | 23.522 ± 0.009 | 27.519 | 3.19 ± 0.029 |
N2403 | NGC2403-HALO-1 | F606W,F814W | 2369 | 0.124 | 1.21 | −4.02 | 23.573 | 23.503 ± 0.039 | 27.524 | 3.20 ± 0.134 |
N2403 | NGC2403-HALO-6 | F606W,F814W | 805 | 0.124 | 1.20 | −4.02 | 23.497 | 23.426 ± 0.018 | 27.447 | 3.09 ± 0.059 |
DDO6 | DDO6 | F475W,F814W | 647 | 0.053 | 2.17 | −4.05 | 23.580 | 23.550 ± 0.017 | 27.597 | 3.31 ± 0.059 |
KKH37 | KKH37 | F475W,F814W | 748 | 0.231 | 2.27 | −4.03 | 23.671 | 23.540 ± 0.037 | 27.566 | 3.26 ± 0.130 |
HoII | UGC-4305-2 | F555W,F814W | 2461 | 0.098 | 1.53 | −4.04 | 23.666 | 23.610 ± 0.013 | 27.646 | 3.38 ± 0.047 |
KDG2 | E540-030 | F606W,F814W | 179 | 0.072 | 1.04 | −4.04 | 23.613 | 23.571 ± 0.009 | 27.612 | 3.33 ± 0.033 |
MCG9-20-1 | CGCG-269-049 | F606W,F814W | 46 | 0.076 | 1.05 | −4.01 | 22.051 | 22.007 ± 0.025 | 26.014 | 1.60 ± 0.043a |
E540-032 | E540-032 | F606W,F814W | 408 | 0.064 | 1.07 | −4.05 | 23.733 | 23.696 ± 0.020 | 27.743 | 3.54 ± 0.077 |
FM1 | M81F6D1 | F606W,F814W | 636 | 0.241 | 1.16 | −4.02 | 23.855 | 23.718 ± 0.010 | 27.737 | 3.53 ± 0.039 |
KK77 | M81F12D1 | F606W,F814W | 1061 | 0.442 | 1.16 | −4.02 | 23.982 | 23.730 ± 0.013 | 27.749 | 3.55 ± 0.051 |
KDG63 | DDO71 | F606W,F814W | 959 | 0.303 | 1.11 | −4.03 | 23.881 | 23.708 ± 0.019 | 27.740 | 3.53 ± 0.074 |
M82 | M82-POS4 | F435W,F814W | 203 | 0.191 | 3.62 | −4.00 | 23.642 | 23.533 ± 0.023 | 27.534 | 3.21 ± 0.078 |
M82 | M82-POS4 | F555W,F814W | 564 | 0.191 | 1.91 | −4.01 | 23.831 | 23.722 ± 0.018 | 27.737 | 3.53 ± 0.068 |
KDG52 | MESSIER-081-DWARF-A | F555W,F814W | 330 | 0.063 | 1.45 | −4.04 | 23.675 | 23.639 ± 0.024 | 27.680 | 3.44 ± 0.090 |
DDO53 | UGC-04459 | F555W,F814W | 953 | 0.118 | 1.48 | −4.05 | 23.806 | 23.739 ± 0.012 | 27.786 | 3.61 ± 0.046 |
N2976 | N2976-DEEP | F475W,F814W | 1334 | 0.224 | 2.65 | −4.02 | 23.864 | 23.736 ± 0.009 | 27.754 | 3.55 ± 0.033 |
N2976 | N2976-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 1340 | 0.224 | 1.24 | −4.02 | 23.865 | 23.738 ± 0.007 | 27.762 | 3.57 ± 0.029 |
KDG61 | M81K61 | F606W,F814W | 1124 | 0.226 | 1.14 | −4.02 | 23.823 | 23.694 ± 0.042 | 27.716 | 3.49 ± 0.161 |
M81 | NGC3031-HALO-1 | F606W,F814W | 227 | 0.249 | 1.29 | −4.02 | 23.833 | 23.691 ± 0.029 | 27.715 | 3.49 ± 0.109 |
M81 | M81-FIELD-29 | F435W,F814W | 551 | 0.249 | 3.40 | −4.02 | 23.899 | 23.758 ± 0.017 | 27.780 | 3.60 ± 0.068 |
M81 | M81-FIELD-29 | F606W,F814W | 330 | 0.249 | 1.39 | −4.01 | 23.896 | 23.754 ± 0.018 | 27.768 | 3.58 ± 0.069 |
M81 | M81-DEEP | F606W,F814W | 198 | 0.249 | 1.35 | −4.02 | 23.890 | 23.748 ± 0.008 | 27.767 | 3.58 ± 0.029 |
N247 | NGC0247-WIDE1 | F475W,F814W | 2640 | 0.056 | 2.64 | −4.02 | 23.735 | 23.703 ± 0.036 | 27.723 | 3.50 ± 0.138 |
N247 | NGC0247-WIDE1 | F606W,F814W | 3349 | 0.056 | 1.30 | −4.02 | 23.753 | 23.722 ± 0.031 | 27.745 | 3.54 ± 0.117 |
HoIX | UGC-5336 | F555W,F814W | 273 | 0.244 | 1.78 | −4.02 | 23.906 | 23.767 ± 0.037 | 27.790 | 3.61 ± 0.144 |
KDG64 | M81K64 | F606W,F814W | 951 | 0.165 | 1.10 | −4.04 | 23.907 | 23.813 ± 0.009 | 27.852 | 3.72 ± 0.036 |
IKN | IKN | F606W,F814W | 1926 | 0.181 | 1.19 | −4.02 | 23.869 | 23.766 ± 0.019 | 27.786 | 3.61 ± 0.075 |
KDG73 | KDG73 | F475W,F814W | 345 | 0.056 | 2.08 | −4.04 | 24.022 | 23.991 ± 0.020 | 28.027 | 4.03 ± 0.086 |
DDO78 | DDO78 | F475W,F814W | 1494 | 0.066 | 2.38 | −4.02 | 23.837 | 23.799 ± 0.017 | 27.818 | 3.66 ± 0.069 |
F8D1 | GAL-094447+672619_302 | F555W,F814W | 1355 | 0.328 | 1.68 | −3.99 | 24.018 | 23.831 ± 0.020 | 27.817 | 3.66 ± 0.078 |
BK5N | GAL-100441+681522_355 | F555W,F814W | 251 | 0.195 | 1.47 | −4.01 | 23.814 | 23.703 ± 0.022 | 27.715 | 3.49 ± 0.082 |
N3077 | NGC3077-PHOENIX | F555W,F814W | 333 | 0.208 | 1.94 | −4.01 | 24.026 | 23.908 ± 0.009 | 27.919 | 3.83 ± 0.036 |
HoI | UGC-5139 | F555W,F814W | 2086 | 0.153 | 1.54 | −4.03 | 24.006 | 23.918 ± 0.012 | 27.953 | 3.90 ± 0.050 |
A0952+69 | A0952+69 | F475W,F814W | 176 | 0.259 | 2.20 | −4.04 | 23.994 | 23.847 ± 0.024 | 27.888 | 3.78 ± 0.098 |
N253 | NGC0253-HALO-11 | F606W,F814W | 1193 | 0.058 | 1.23 | −4.02 | 23.710 | 23.677 ± 0.064 | 27.700 | 3.47 ± 0.239 |
N253 | NGC0253-WIDE1 | F475W,F814W | 2188 | 0.058 | 2.63 | −4.02 | 23.712 | 23.678 ± 0.017 | 27.698 | 3.46 ± 0.065 |
N253 | NGC0253-WIDE1 | F606W,F814W | 3269 | 0.058 | 1.26 | −4.02 | 23.667 | 23.634 ± 0.025 | 27.658 | 3.40 ± 0.091 |
HS117 | HS117 | F606W,F814W | 556 | 0.359 | 1.08 | −4.05 | 24.066 | 23.862 ± 0.017 | 27.908 | 3.82 ± 0.070 |
DDO82 | DDO82 | F475W,F814W | 4180 | 0.133 | 2.51 | −4.02 | 23.952 | 23.876 ± 0.013 | 27.899 | 3.80 ± 0.054 |
DDO82 | DDO82 | F606W,F814W | 4594 | 0.133 | 1.16 | −4.02 | 23.956 | 23.880 ± 0.016 | 27.899 | 3.80 ± 0.065 |
BK3N | BK3N | F475W,F814W | 235 | 0.246 | 2.50 | −4.02 | 24.051 | 23.911 ± 0.013 | 27.934 | 3.86 ± 0.054 |
I2574 | IC-2574-2 | F555W,F814W | 2425 | 0.112 | 1.58 | −4.02 | 23.973 | 23.909 ± 0.014 | 27.931 | 3.86 ± 0.057 |
I2574 | IC2574-SGS | F435W,F814W | 5638 | 0.112 | 3.11 | −4.02 | 23.936 | 23.872 ± 0.013 | 27.892 | 3.79 ± 0.055 |
I2574 | IC2574-SGS | F555W,F814W | 5100 | 0.112 | 1.61 | −4.02 | 23.937 | 23.874 ± 0.013 | 27.893 | 3.79 ± 0.052 |
Sc22 | SCL-DE1 | F606W,F814W | 124 | 0.046 | 1.02 | −4.02 | 24.116 | 24.090 ± 0.023 | 28.110 | 4.19 ± 0.105 |
Notes. Color-dependent absolute magnitudes for the TRGB are taken from Girardi et al. (2008) isochrones. Mean colors are for the stars used to measure the TRGB, which are not necessarily all RGB stars, and include only stars within 0.m2 of the TRGB. AV values are as reported by IRSA for coordinates in Table 1, with the exception of M82. Extinction corrections from AV to the observed filters are adopted from Girardi et al. (2008), as described in the text. mTRGB was measured in the least crowded region of each galaxy. Measured distances for A0952 + 69, BK3N, and Holmberg IX are dominated by outer M81 stars, rather than RGB stars associated with the named galaxies. Listed uncertainties are dominated by photometric uncertainties and by stochasticity in the number of stars near the tip; systematic uncertainties (due to uncertainties in the assumed TRGB absolute magnitudes and extinction) are likely to be much larger, but are not included in the listed uncertainties. [a] The distance to MCG9-20-1 is ambiguous, as it was not clear if the observed tip was for the RGB or AGB; the true distance modulus may potentially be significantly fainter.
The reported F814W TRGB magnitude mTRGB and the associated uncertainty were determined by running 500-750 Monte Carlo trials with bootstrap resampling of the stars. In each trial, additional Gaussian random errors are added to the stars, scaled to the magnitude of each star's photometric error. Each trial returned the magnitude corresponding to the peak of the edge-detection response filter within a 1 mag interval around the likely TRGB. We generated a histogram of the returned magnitudes, and fit the peak at mTRGB in the histogram with a Gaussian. We take the mean and width of the Gaussian to be the magnitude of the TRGB and its uncertainty. Although the Monte Carlo process artificially increases the photometric error (during randomization of magnitudes) and potentially biases mTRGB by scattering stars preferentially above the tip, in practice the effect of the added noise is negligible, since the photometric uncertainties are extremely small at mTRGB in almost every case. Furthermore, we have verified visually that the method above converges on a consistent part of the luminosity function, and thus preserves the accuracy of the relative distances.
In some Monte Carlo trials, there are additional peaks in the edge-detection response function that clearly do not correspond to the TRGB (see Figure 25). These spurious peaks are most prevalent when there are a smaller number of stars, or an old population of AGB stars with a well-defined peak luminosity. In these cases, we initialized the Gaussian fit with a mean chosen to be centered on the peak corresponding most closely to the true TRGB. Examples of the luminosity function, edge-detection response, histogram of Monte Carlo TRGB magnitudes, and the CMD of the analyzed stars are presented in Figures 24 and 25.
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Standard image High-resolution imageDownload figure:
Standard image High-resolution imageUncertainties in the measured value of mTRGB can include random errors (due to small numbers of stars and to photometric errors) and systematic errors (due to contamination from stars on the red helium burning sequence, to uncertainties in the MW foreground extinction, and to the unknown internal extinction). We attempted to reduce our systematic errors by considering only stars likely to be RGB or AGB stars. To do so, we selected stars that fell within model RGB isochrones from Girardi et al. (2008) in the appropriate HST filter set, extrapolated up into the region populated by AGB stars. This process was automated by first shifting the stars in magnitude and color based on the estimated foreground extinction from Schlegel et al. (1998),23 assuming RV = 3.1, AF435W/AV = 1.30, AF475W/AV = 1.15, AF555W/AV = 1.00, AF606W/AV = 0.87, and AF814W/AV = 0.57, based upon Girardi et al. (2008) for typical temperatures of RGB stars. We used triangular interpolation of the isochrones to generate a regular grid of metallicities as a function of color and magnitude for a uniform, intermediate age population (4 Gyr). We then interpolated the observed stars onto this grid to assign metallicities to each star, and rejected stars with unphysical metallicities. This process is equivalent to assigning each star to a particular RGB isochrone, and rejecting stars that are inconsistent with all plausible isochrones. For the remaining stars, we used a robust bi-weight to find the peak and width of the distribution of the logarithms of the inferred metallicities. We selected all stars whose metallicities fell within 1.5σ of the peak in log([Fe/H]). We further excluded stars with metallicities outside of the range 0.0002 and 0.006 (for 4 Gyr isochrones); within this metallicity range, the F814W magnitude of the TRGB varies by less than ±0.05 mag, but outside it, the TRGB becomes steadily fainter by several tenths of a magnitude, blurring the TRGB discontinuity and introducing systematic errors when converting mTRGB to distance. We expect little dependence of the TRGB absolute magnitude MTRGB on age or metallicity; the predicted absolute magnitude of the TRGB depends primarily on the color of the RGB, and more weakly upon the particular age+metallicity combination that generated a particular RGB isochrone. The final isochrone fitting procedure cleanly isolated the bulk of RGB and AGB stars, while significantly reducing contamination from non-RGB features (Figures 24 and 25).24
We further reduced systematic biases due to internal extinction and photometric errors by restricting our analysis to stars in regions of low crowding within an individual field, when sufficient numbers of stars were available (>30,000). We chose a density threshold such that at least 25% of the area and 50% of the stars were included in the analysis. This cut eliminated stars in the most crowded regions with the highest internal extinction, while still preserving large numbers of stars. For galaxies with multiple pointings, the TRGB was measured in whichever fields had the least crowding and lowest probability of high internal or differential reddening, while still having large numbers of stars. When multiple clean fields were available, we analyzed both, to compare our internal systematics and to constrain the variation in internal extinction. The resulting TRGB magnitudes were frequently several tenths of a magnitude brighter than those measured within the main body of a galaxy. Beyond field placement, however, we make no further attempt to correct for internal extinction, although extinctions of several tenths of a magnitude are certainly possible in the outer regions of massive galaxies (e.g., Holwerda et al. 2008).
To transfer the measured TRGB magnitudes into initial distance estimates, we used the measured mean color within 0.2m of the TRGB to pick a Girardi et al. (2008) isochrone with similar colors, from which we then find the absolute magnitude MTRGB of the TRGB. However, due to the uncertain state of the ACS CTE correction, there are likely to be systematic uncertainties present in the data that limit the accuracy of the inferred distance to a few percent. The likely systematic uncertainties in the adopted value of MTRGB are even larger, with different theoretical models and empirical calibrations differing by as much as 0.2 mag (e.g., see Figure 8 of Gallart et al. 2005). The reported distances are thus best used as relative distances, rather than absolute ones. The uncertainties listed in Table 5 do not include these systematic errors, and include only the Poisson uncertainties captured by bootstrap resampling. Thus, while the Gaussian fitting procedure described above (and seen in the upper left panels of Figures 24 and 25) frequently reports formal distance errors of a few percent, the true uncertainties are undoubtedly larger.
The resulting data in Table 5 includes: the number of stars within 1 mag of the TRGB (Nstars); the adopted foreground extinction AV; the mean color (within 0.2 mag of the TRGB) of the stars used to measure the TRGB, for the particular filter combination used; the predicted absolute magnitude of the TRGB at that color, based on isochrones from Girardi et al. (2008); the apparent magnitude of the TRGB in F814W, uncorrected for extinction (mTRGB(raw)); the extinction corrected TRGB magnitude (mTRGB) and its uncertainty; the resulting extinction corrected distance modulus (m − M)0; and the inferred distance D in Mpc. The resulting spatial configuration of galaxies is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 26 plots the differences between the new distance moduli and those inferred from distances in Table 1, which had been used for initial sample selection, as a function of increasing distance (left) and luminosity (right). The revised distances agree well with previously published values. The median change in distance modulus is only −0.02 mag for the entire sample, indicating that there is little systematic deviation between our adopted TRGB scale and those used in the literature. There is however, a modest tendency for past distances to be systematically overestimated for the most massive galaxies. If we split the sample into galaxies that are brighter or fainter than MB = −17, the median offset is only −0.012 for the faint galaxies, but increases to −0.074 for the more luminous galaxies. We believe that that offset is most likely due to past TRGB determinations using stars closer to the galaxies' centers, where the extinction of dust is larger, leading the TRGB magnitude to appear fainter. In contrast, our measurements use the outskirts of galaxies, where the internal extinction is small, producing a brighter TRGB. On the other hand, many of the published distance estimates have made corrections for internal extinction, unlike those we present in Table 5.
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Standard image High-resolution imageBecause the most luminous galaxies tend to be found in the M81 group, the left panel shows a hint of correlation between distance and the offset in the distance modulus. However, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient is much smaller when using distance instead of luminosity (−0.09 versus 0.30), indicating that the variation in luminosity is the principal driver of the trend.
The dispersion about the mean difference is 0.05 mag, comparable to the precision of distances in Table 1 and to their published uncertainties. There is no difference in the dispersion for brighter and fainter galaxies. Multiple observations of the same galaxy (connected with a solid line in Figure 26) show differences of typically less than 0.1 mag (i.e. 10% in distance). Because these measurements were made in different regions of these galaxies, some of this variation is likely to be due to differences in internal extinction within the galaxy. In such cases, the outermost distance measurement is likely to be the least affected by dust, although the reduced numbers of stars in such fields leads to larger Poisson uncertainties. We also found no systematic offsets between distances determined with ACS and those measured with WFPC2 data.
We see no evidence that the revised distances would have changed our initial sample selection. The largest change in distance is for UGCA 292, which is nearly 40% further away than previously estimated from its brightest stars (Makarova et al. 1998). The distance to MCG9-20-131 also appeared to decrease significantly; however, there is some ambiguity as to whether or not the apparent TRGB is due to RGB or AGB stars, or potentially even red supergiants. Thus, the distance may have a systematic offset, even though the formal error on the magnitude of the tip is relatively small. With the new distances, NGC 247 and NGC 253 are much closer to each other. The morphology of the other groups remain essentially unchanged.
13. CONCLUSIONS
The ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury is the now the largest repository of uniform stellar photometry for nearby galaxies. The resulting catalogs contain millions of measurements that can be used for studies of ancient and recent SFHs (Williams et al. 2009; Weisz et al. 2008) and comparisons with multi-wavelength data (Gogarten et al. 2009; Ott et al. 2008). The raw images are a resource for searches for stellar clusters, H ii region nebulosity, and background light sources.
We are happy to acknowledge the consistently professional and helpful assistance from the staff at STSCI, including Alison Vick, Marco Sirianni, Howard Bond, and Neill Reid. We also are pleased to thank Jay Anderson, Brent Tully, Abi Saha, Stan Vlcek, Pat Taylor, Sarah Garner, and Richard Coffey for assistance at various times during the project. We also thank the referee for constructive comments. J.J.D. acknowledges partial support from the Wyckoff Faculty Fellowship during this work, and the hospitality of the MPIA and Carnegie Observatories during some of the writing of this paper. L.G. acknowledges financial support from contract ASI-INAF I/016/07/0. I.K. and V.K. were partially supported by RFFI grant 07–02–00005 and grant DFG-RFBR 06–02–04017.
This work is based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute. Support for this work was provided by NASA through grant number GO-10915 from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. This research has made use of the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive and the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED), which are both operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This research has made extensive use of NASA's Astrophysics Data System Bibliographic Services.
Facilities: HST (ACS), HST (WFPC2)
Footnotes
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Preliminary versions of revised ACS charge transfer efficiency (CTE) corrections have recently been released on STScI's Web site, but were announced after all the data had been processed for this release. These corrections will be used in subsequent releases, and updated on the data release Web site.
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Note that the Bedin et al. (2005) ACS calibration also assumes that mF814W,WFPC2 = 0.0 (giving mzp,F814W,ACS = 25.492), so comparisons with this alternate calibration also require adding an +0.035 offset; this correction was not made during the WFPC2-ACS comparison in Saviane et al. (2008), and thus their apparent agreement of mF814W,WFPC2 − mF814W,ACS = 0.003 ± 0.005 actually implies that mF814W,WFPC2 − mF814W,ACS = 0.038 ± 0.005 over the magnitude and color range of 26 < mF814W,ACS < 27.5 and 0 < mF606W,ACS − mF814W,ACS < 2.
- 23
The one exception is M82, for which the Schlegel et al. (1998) value is clearly contaminated by point source emission from M82 itself, leading to an erroneously high foreground extinction (AB = 0.685). Instead, we took AB = 0.25, based upon regions immediately adjacent to M82.
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Note that although we derived the "metallicity" of each star, we do not treat these as actual measurements of the metallicity due to the likely presence of mixed stellar ages on the RGB; instead, we only use the inferred metallicity as a label for the RGB isochrone on which a star lies. Likewise, the mean color that we report for the TRGB stars includes only those stars that made the various metallicity cuts, and does not reflect the color of the RGB as a whole.