Tracing the stellar mass in M51

摘要: We present optical and IR surface photometry of M51 (NGC 5194) at B, V, R, I, J, K, CO(2.3 μm). These data are used to establish whether K band (2.2 μm) images spiral galaxies provide reliable maps stellar mass density features such as massive arms or bars. The main distorting agents in the mapping shorter wavelengths dust extinction luminous young stars. From modeling color changes across lanes M51, we find depths be ∼0.5 band. For these flux is attenuated by only ≤10% even