Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Size of the Coma cluster

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

STUDIES of counts of galaxies in large regions centred on the Coma cluster led Zwicky to conclude that the radius of the Coma cluster is at least 6° (13 Mpc for H = 55 km s−1 Mpc−1)1. Outside this radius, the contribution to the counts from foreground and background galaxies overwhelms the contribution from the cluster, rendering it invisible. The technology of image intensifier tubes has now advanced to such an extent that it is feasible to obtain line of sight (radial) velocities of large numbers of galaxies in fields of a cluster. These velocities can be used to distinguish cluster members from foreground and background galaxies2. Such studies have confirmed that the Coma cluster extends to at least 5° (ref. 3).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zwicky, F., Morphological Astronomy, 46 and 134–143 (Springer, Berlin, 1957).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Rood, H. J., Astrophys. J. (in the press).

  3. Rood, H. J., Page, T. L., Kinter, E. C., and King, I. R., Astrophys. J., 175, 627 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chincarini, G., and Rood, H. J., Astrophys. J., 77, 448 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Zwicky, F., and Herzog, E., Catalog of Galaxies and of Clusters of Galaxies, 2 (Speich, Zurich, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Gregory, S. A., thesis, Univ. Arizona (1974).

  7. Tifft, W. G., and Gregory, S. A., Astrophys. J., 181, 15 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Tifft, W. G., and Gregory, S. A., Astrophys. J., 185, 395 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nilson, P., Uppsala General Catalogue of Galaxies, Uppsala Astronomiska Observatoriums Annaler, 6 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bahcall, N. A., Astrophys. J., 183, 783 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Noonan, T., thesis, Cal. Tech. (1961).

  12. Yahil, A., Astrophys. J., 191, 623 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Oemler, A., Jr thesis, Cal. Tech. (1974).

  14. Bahcall, N. A., Astrophys. J., 198, 249 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73069

    GUIDO CHINCARINI

  2. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48823

    HERBERT J. ROOD

Authors
  1. GUIDO CHINCARINI
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. HERBERT J. ROOD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CHINCARINI, G., ROOD, H. Size of the Coma cluster. Nature 257, 294–295 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/257294a0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/257294a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation