An Obscured Galaxy Redshift Survey with FLAIR

Abstract

A problem for studies of large scale structures in nearby space (cz < 10,000 km s-1) is the presence of the Zone of Avoidance which is so large and wide on the sky that potentially important clusters and voids remain undetected. A prime example was the Ophiuchus cluster discovered by Wakamatsu and Malkan (1981) as a heavily obscured cD cluster close to the Galactic centre region (l = 0·5°, b = +9·5°). It is the second brightest X-ray cluster after Perseus. A hidden galaxy survey was performed by visually searching ESO/SERC Sky Survey (R and J) copy films of the region centred at l = 355°, b = +10° finding more than 4000 galaxies in six fields. Several irregular clusters adjacent to Ophiuchus were found forming a supercluster which may be connected to the Hercules supercluster by a wall structure parallel to the local supergalactic plane (Wakamatsu et al. 1994). In front of this supercluster, an 'Ophiuchus Void' is suggested (cz = 4,500 km s-1). The Ophiuchus supercluster at cz = 8,500 km s-1 is similar to the Hercules supercluster (cz = 11,000 km s-1), and extends north toward the latter supercluster.