Serendipitous 2MASS Discoveries Near the Galactic Plane: A Spiral Galaxy and Two Globular Clusters

Abstract

We present the basic properties of three objects near the Galactic Plane - a large galaxy and two candidate globular clusters - discovered in the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) dataset. All were noted during spot-checks of the data during 2MASS quality assurance reviews. The galaxy is a late-type spiral galaxy (Sc-Sd), ~11 Mpc distant. We estimate an extinction-corrected optical diameter of ~9.5', making it larger than most Messier galaxies. The candidate globular clusters are ~2-3' in extent and are hidden optically behind foreground extinctions of Av ~18-21 mag at l ~ 10 deg, b ~ 0 deg. These chance discoveries were not the result of any kind of systematic search but they do hint at the wealth of obscured sources of all kinds, many previously unknown, that are in the 2MASS dataset.

Accepted 6/15/00 for publication in the Astronomical Journal

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