Code of Conduct
Jeremy Walsh (ESO)
NGC 5128 as a nearby template for the star formation history in early-type galaxies
NGC 5128, the elliptical galaxy underlying the Centaurus-A radio source, is the nearest example of a large early-type galaxy, despite its prominent dust lane. This proximity makes it ideal for a variety of investigations of the present-day structure and history of interactions in an early-type galaxy. Some studies of the planetary nebulae (PNe), sampling the late stages of evolution of the common, low mass, stars, are described. Many PNe have been detected in NGC 5128, abundances of the light elements have been determined from spectra and velocities measured to study the local and global kinematics. The contribution of these results to the star formation history will be outlined.
