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arXiv · 1901.05981

The Distance and Motion of the Maffei Group

Gagandeep S. Anand·R. Brent Tully·Luca Rizzi·Igor D. Karachentsev
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Abstract

It has recently been suggested that the nearby galaxies Maffei 1 and 2 are further in distance than previously thought, such that they no longer are members of the same galaxy group as IC 342. We reanalyze near-infrared photometry from the Hubble Space Telescope, and find a distance to Maffei 2 of $5.73\pm0.40$ Mpc. With this distance, the Maffei Group lies 2.5 Mpc behind the IC 342 Group and has a peculiar velocity toward the Local Group of $-128\pm33$ km/s. The negative peculiar velocities of both of these distinct galaxy groups are likely the manifestation of void expansion from the direction of Perseus-Pisces.

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Gagandeep S. Anand, R. Brent Tully, Luca Rizzi, Igor D. Karachentsev. 2019-01-17. The Distance and Motion of the Maffei Group. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213%2Faafee6

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