Antlia B: A faint dwarf galaxy member of the NGC 3109 association

Abstract

We report the discovery of Antlia B, a faint dwarf galaxy at a projected distance of $\sim$72 kpc from NGC 3109 ($M_V$$\sim$$-$15 mag), the primary galaxy of the NGC 3109 dwarf association at the edge of the Local Group. The tip of the red giant branch distance to Antlia B is $D$=1.29$\pm$0.10 Mpc, which is consistent with the distance to NGC 3109. A qualitative analysis indicates the new dwarf's stellar population has both an old, metal poor red giant branch ($\gtrsim$10 Gyr, [Fe/H]$\sim$$-$2), and a younger blue population with an age of $\sim$200-400 Myr, analogous to the original Antlia dwarf, another likely satellite of NGC 3109. Antlia B has \ion{H}{1} gas at a velocity of $v_{helio,HI}$=376 km s${}^{-1}$, confirming the association with NGC 3109 ($v_{helio}$=403 km s${}^{-1}$). The HI gas mass (M${}_{HI}$=2.8$\pm$0.2$\times$10${}^5$ M${}_{\odot }$), stellar luminosity ($M_V$=$-$9.7$\pm$0.6 mag) and half light radius ($r_h$=273$\pm$29 pc) are all consistent with the properties of dwarf irregular and dwarf spheroidal galaxies in the Local Volume, and is most similar to the Leo P dwarf galaxy. The discovery of Antlia B is the initial result from a Dark Energy Camera survey for halo substructure and faint dwarf companions to NGC 3109 with the goal of comparing observed substructure with expectations from the $\hat{I}›$+Cold Dark Matter model in the sub-Milky Way regime.

7 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to ApJL