THE NATURE OF THE ANTLIA GALAXY - A NEW DWARF IRREGULAR IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE LOCAL GROUP

The Antlia dwarf galaxy, recently found to be a possible local Group m ember, is analyzed using VI photometry. The galaxy is resolved into a large number of stars and although the galaxy is intrinsically faint a nd of low surface brightness, its stellar populations reveal character istics more typical of faint star-forming dIrs rather than dEs. Signif icant star formation is currently going on in the central part of Antl ia although little or no tar formation is taking place in the outer re gions. This indicates a two-component (core-halo) morphology which app ears to be common, lot only in large spirals (disk-halo), but in dwarf galaxies as well. The SFR averaged over the lifetime of the galaxy is estimated to be <(psi)over bar>/A similar to 2-4 x 10(-10) M-. yr(-1) pc(-2) while the more recent star formation, averaged over the last 1 Gyr is much higher (<(psi)over bar>(1Gyr)/A similar to 3 - 9 x 10(-10 ) M-. yr(-1) pc(-2) for the central region). The total mass locked int o stars and stellar remnants is estimated to be M(star)similar to 2-4 x 10(6) M-.. Its distance, estimated from the TRGB, is 1.32+/-0.06 Mpc , which places Antlia just beyond the Local Group, and makes it a clos e companion of the dwarf galaxy NGC 3109 (Delta r greater than or simi lar to 30 kpc), although it is not clear whether they are gravitationa lly bound. (C) 1997 American Astronomical Society.