Program: GS-2008B-Q-37

The dark matter content of elliptical galaxies still is a controversial issue. While some bright cluster galaxies have been found to have massive dark halos, more average ellipticals have shown little evidence for dark matter. The elliptical field galaxy NGC 7507 is a good example for this controversy. Previous dynamical studies, using integrated spectroscopy of its inner regions, arrived at different conclusions but new long-slit data support a low (if any) dark matter content. Conclusive results can only be obtained by probing radial regimes where the luminous matter is not longer dominant. We therefore propose measuring radial velocities of globular clusters in order to trace the mass profile of NGC 7507 out to larger galactocentric radii -- and to check the predictions of the CDM paradigm of galaxy formation.