A comprehensive analysis of the NGC 5018 galaxy group has been conducted, shedding light on its globular cluster (GC) system. Using data from the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), researchers studied this galaxy group, located approximately 132.5 million light years away in the Virgo constellation. The investigation revealed vital details about the clusters’ distribution and interactions within the group. These findings contribute to understanding the formation and evolution of early-type galaxies, where globular clusters play a crucial role.

Insights from the Study on NGC 5018

According to the study, published on the preprint server arXiv, deep imaging data from the VST Elliptical Galaxy Survey (VEGAS) was analysed by a team led by Pratik Lonare of the Abruzzo Astronomical Observatory. As reported by phys.org, the research identified thousands of GC candidates within the NGC 5018 group and highlighted an intra-group GC system. The galaxy NGC 5018 itself displayed a significant overdensity of GC candidates, while other galaxies in the group showed minimal activity.

The radial density profile of GCs in NGC 5018 closely follows its surface brightness, and a major component in its colour profile peaks at 0.75 mag. The study also detected a mix of blue and red GC populations, with peaks at 0.45 and 0.80 mag, respectively. It was noted that blue GCs are more extended compared to their red counterparts, suggesting that tidal interactions may have redistributed some GCs from NGC 5018 into intra-group space.

Significance of the Findings

The research team estimated around 4,000 GC candidates across the galaxy group, with 485 attributed specifically to NGC 5018. This distribution aligns with the intra-group light observed in previous studies. Researchers concluded that tidal forces from neighbouring galaxies might have played a role in dispersing these clusters, offering new perspectives on galaxy group dynamics.