1983/01/01 by Donald P. Schneider, D. P. Schneider, J. E. Gunn +1 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
paper · doi:10.1086/160602
The way in which the luminosity of brightest cluster galaxy varies with cluster parameters is investigated in a sample of 84 Abell clusters of moderate redshift and of richness classes in the zero-to-5 range. A photometric system is used which is well matched with the low noise CCD detector employed, as well as to the arrangement of galaxies with different redshifts on a standard system. The data, together with measurements from earlier work which forms a low redshift sample of the 199 brightest cluster galaxies, confirm that the luminosity dispersion in first-rank cluster galaxies is about 0.34 mag. The colors of giant ellipticals have not changed since redshifts of 0.25, and the richness correction is well established at 0.10 mag/Abell richness class. Application of these corrections reduces the luminosity dispersion to 0.29 mag.