CO (2–1) observations of Maffei 2

Abstract

Maffei 2 is a highly obscured galaxy, probably of type Sbc, at a distance of 5 Mpc (Allen and Raimond 1972; Spinrad et al. 1973). Since it lies close to the Galactic plane, there is considerable confusion in infrared and 21-cm HI observations due to Galactic emission, but investigations of its structure can be carried out at millimeter wavelengths where the Galaxy contribution is confined to a limited velocity range. The high resolution (30″) of our CO J=2–1 observations permits both a detailed examination of Maffei 2 and a study of the nature of the gas in its nucleus, through comparison with the CO J=1–0 observations.

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