Name: Arend Sluis
Institution: University of Massachusetts

University of Washington

Astrolunch

Abstract:
Efforts to determine the mass distribution of early-type galaxies are generally hampered by the scarcity of useful tracers of the potential at large radii. Planetary Nebulae (PNe) offer a way around this problem: as remants of intermediate mass stars we expect them to follow the stellar light distribution and be numerous enough to be an effective tracer. PNe radiate hundreds of solar luminosities in a few emission lines (mostly [OIII] 5007A), making it possible to detect them over extragalactic distances and measure their radial velocities. I report on observations of four early-type galaxies performed with the Rutgers Fabry-Perot (RFP). I briefly discuss the RFP, our observations and selection procedure. Using a Monte Carlo Markov Chain method we explored the space of likely mass models for NGC 3379. Our spherical model for the E1 galaxy NGC 3379 shows that mass follows light within five half-light radii with an overall B band mass-to-light ratio 6 (solar units).