The survival of Sagittarius dwarf galaxy

The corresponding minimum total mass is 10^9^M_{sun}_, while the central mass to visual light ratio is ~50 in Solar units. Our new photographic photometry allows the detection of main-sequence stars of the Sagittarius dwarf over an area of 22x8{deg}. The Sagittarius dwarf is prolate, with axis ratios ~3:1:1.

For an adopted distance of 16+/-2kpc from the Galactic center on the opposite side of the Galaxy to the Sun, the major axis is >~9kpc long and is aligned approximately normal to the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy, roughly following the coordinate line l=5{deg}. The central velocity dispersion of giant stars which are members of the Sagittarius dwarf is 11.4+/-0.7km/s and is consistent with being constant over the face of the galaxy.

The gradient in mean line-of-sight velocity with position along the major axis, dv/db, is ~0km/s/degree in the central regions and increases in amplitude to dv/db=-3km/s/degree over the outermost three degrees for which we have data. A first measurement of the proper motion of the Sagittarius dwarf determines the component of its space velocity parallel to its major axis to be 250+/-90km/s, directed towards the Galactic Plane.

We model these kinematic data to determine the orbit of the Sagittarius dwarf. Our best fit model has an orbital period of <~1Gyr and has the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal close to perigalacticon. This period is shorter, by about a factor of >~10, than the age of the bulk of its stellar population.

(Copyright) 1997 American Astronomical Society.