The Mass of the Andromeda Galaxy

Abstract

This paper argues that the Milky Way galaxy is probably the largest member of the Local Group. The evidence comes from estimates of the total mass of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) derived from the three dimensional positions and radial velocities of its satellite galaxies, as well as the projected positions and radial velocities of its distant globular clusters and planetary nebulae. The available dataset comprises ten satellite galaxies, seventeen distant globular clusters and nine halo planetary nebulae with radial velocities. We find the halo of Andromeda has a mass of about 12 x 10^11 solar masses, together with a scalelength of roughly 90 kpc and a predominantly isotropic velocity distribution. For comparison, our earlier estimate for the Milky Way halo is 19 x 10^11 solar masses. Though the error bars are admittedly large, this suggests that the total mass of M31 is probably less than that of the Milky Way. We verify the robustness of our results to changes in the modelling assumptions and to errors caused by the small size and incompleteness of the dataset. Future prospects using radial velocity surveys of globular clusters and planetary nebulae, as well as microarcsecond astrometry from the upcoming satellite missions, are discussed.

16 pages, 8 figures, MNRAS, in press

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