The Local Group Census
A narrowband imaging survey of the Local Group galaxies

The project

The Local Group Census is a narrowband imaging survey of all the galaxies of the Local Group (LG) above Dec=-30 deg. It is being carried out as part of the Isaac Newton Group's Wide Field Survey programme. Observations are being obtained with the Wide Field Camera at the 2.5m Isaac Newton telescope, equipped with a mosaic of four 2kx4k EEV CCDs covering a field of view of 34' x 34'.

The survey aims to find, catalogue and study old and young emission-line populations (e.g. HII regions, planetary nebulae, SN remnants, LBVs, WR stars, symbiotic binaries, etc.) to unprecedented levels. The value of narrowband [OIII], Ha, [SII], and HeII images is enhanced with complementary broad band data (g,r,i). This enables the linkages between stellar populations (e.g. AGB to PNe) in the range of LG galaxies to be probed. Analysis of the population samples across the wide range of galaxy types seen in the LG will aid in the understanding of the LG evolutionary processes, and the role of the stellar populations in e.g. chemical enrichment of the LG.

The survey object catalogues will also be an invaluable resource for further spectroscopic and kinematical studies with 8-m telescopes.

Collaborators and institutions

Collaborators:
N. Walton (P.I.), J. Beckman, C. Bee, M. Bryce, A. Cardwell, R. Corradi, P. Crowther, C. Davenport, E. Flores, R. Greimel, A. Herrero, M. Irwin, P. Leisy, D. Lennon, A. Mampaso, L. Magrini, D. Mislis, M. Perinotto, R. Peletier, D. Pollacco, S. Prins, I. Skillen, S. Smartt, L. Smith, J. Telting, E. Tolstoy, J. Walsh, S. Wright, A. Zijlstra, A. Zurita

 
Institutions:
I.N.G., I.A.C., Open University, University of Amsterdam, ESO, University of Firenze, Institute of Astronomy Cambridge, Jodrell Bank, University of Manchester, Queens University Belfast, ST-ECF/ESO, University College London, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, University of Victoria, UMIST