Program: GS-2010A-Q-56

This proposal aims to obtain spectroscopy for a sample of globular cluster (GC) candidates (obtained from our GMOS-S imaging) around the elliptical galaxy NGC 5044, the brightest galaxy of a rich and unusual group. The system represents a transition between spiral-dominated compact groups and elliptical-dominated rich clusters, and has evidence of recent evolution and AGN feedback in its core from our recent X-ray and radio data. The globular clusters have not been studied before, and hold crucial clues to the evolution of this unique system. The GC spectra will yield age and abundance of the clusters which will help reconstruct the history of formation of the group. An important goal is to trace the dark matter distribution in the dark halo of the central galaxy, using GCs as tracers, and attempt to separate the galaxy's dark halo from that of the group.