EVIDENCE FOR THE SAGITTARIUS DWARF GALAXY AT LOW GALACTIC LATITUDES

A structure that is likely associated with the Sagittarius dwarf galax y (Sgr) is identified in a new sample of 1466 RR Lyrae stars of Bailey type ab (RRab). These stars were discovered in a 25 deg(2) field, cen tered at the Galactic coordinates b = -7 degrees, l = 3 degrees, using 154 B and R photographic Schmidt plates taken for the DUO project. A significant extension of Sgr into this region is not expected from the Ibata, Gilmore, & Irwin projected density. After correction for extin ction, the distribution of magnitudes corresponds to a bimodal distanc e modulus distribution, with peaks at the distance of the Galactic cen ter and Sgr (24 +/- 2 kpc), The distribution on the sky of the 313 sta rs concentrated near 24 kpc is consistent with an extension of the str ucture found by Ibata and coworkers. Also, the period histogram of the distant RRab is quite different from that of stars at smaller distanc es. This is evidence that, at large distance, we suddenly cross a popu lation that is different from the Galactic RRab. All of this evidence demonstrates that the observed density is likely an extension of the d warf galaxy discovered by Ibata and coworkers.