* Astronomy

Title: KK246, a dwarf galaxy with extended H I disk in the Local Void
Authors: K. Kreckel, P. J. E. Peebles, J. H. van Gorkom, R. van de Weygaert, J. M. van der Hulst

We have found that KK 246, the only confirmed galaxy located within the nearby Tully Void, is a dwarf galaxy with an extremely extended H I disk and signs of an H I cloud with anomalous velocity. It also exhibits clear misalignment between the kinematical major and minor axes, indicative of an oval distortion, and a general misalignment between the H I and optical major axes. We measure a H I mass of 1.05 ± 0.08 x 10^8 M_sun, and a H I extent 5 times that of the stellar disk, one of the most extended H I disks known. We estimate a dynamical mass of 4.1 x 10^9 M_sun, making this also one of the darkest galaxies known, with a mass-to-light ratio of 89. The relative isolation and extreme underdense environment make this an interesting case for examining the role of gas accretion in galaxy evolution.

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Position(2000): RA = 20 03 57, Dec = -31° 40' 54"