The dwarf satellites of 'giant' Milky Way (MW)-mass galaxies are our primary probes of low-mass dark matter halos. The number and velocities of the satellite galaxies of the MW and M31 initially puzzled galaxy formation theorists, but are now reproduced well by many models. Yet, are the MW's and M31's satellites representative? Were galaxy formation models 'overfit' ? These questions motivate deep searches for satellite galaxies outside the Local Group. We present a deep survey of the 'classical' satellites (M 4×10 5 M ) of the MW-mass galaxy M94 out to 150 kpc projected distance. We find only two satellites, each with M ∼10 6 M , compared with 6-12 such satellites in the four other MWmass systems with comparable data (MW, M31, M81, M101). Using a 'standard' prescription for occupying dark matter halos (taken from the fully hydrodynamical EAGLE simulation) with galaxies, we find that such a sparse satellite population occurs in < 0.2% of MW-mass systems -a < 1% probability among a sample of five (known systems + M94). In order to produce an M94-like system more frequently we make satellite galaxy formation much more stochastic than is currently predicted by dramatically increasing the slope and scatter of the stellar mass-halo mass (SMHM) relation. Surprisingly, the SMHM relation must be altered even for halos masses up to 10 11 M -significantly above the mass scales predicted to have increased scatter from current hydrodynamical models. The sparse satellite population of this 'lonely giant' thus advocates for an important modification to ideas of how the satellites around MW-mass galaxies form.

The traditional picture of post-starburst galaxies as dust-and gas-poor merger remnants, rapidly transitioning to quiescence, has been recently challenged. Unexpected detections of a significant ISM in many post-starbursts raise important questions. Are they truly quiescent and, if so, what mechanisms inhibit further star formation? What processes dominate their ISM energetics? We present an infrared spectroscopic and photometric survey of 33 SDSS-selected E+A post-starbursts, aimed at resolving these questions. We find compact, warm dust reservoirs with high PAH abundances, and total gas and dust masses significantly higher than expected from stellar recycling alone. Both PAH/TIR and dustto-burst stellar mass ratios are seen to decrease with post-burst age, indicative of the accumulating effects of dust destruction and an incipient transition to hot, early-type ISM properties. Their infrared spectral properties are unique, with dominant PAH emission, very weak nebular lines, unusually strong H 2 rotational emission, and deep [C ii] deficits. There is substantial scatter among SFR indicators, and both PAH and TIR luminosities provide overestimates. Even as potential upper limits, all tracers show that the SFR has typically experienced a more than two order-of-magnitude decline since the starburst, and that the SFR is considerably lower than expected given both their stellar masses and molecular gas densities. These results paint a coherent picture of systems in which star formation was, indeed, rapidly truncated, but in which the ISM was not completely expelled, and is instead supported against collapse by latent or continued injection of turbulent or mechanical heating. The resulting aging burst populations provide a "high-soft" radiation field which seemingly dominates the E+As' unusual ISM energetics.

We present panchromatic resolved stellar photometry for 22 million stars in the Local Group dwarf spiral Triangulum (M33), derived from Hubble Space Telescope observations with the Advanced Camera for Surveys in the optical (F475W, F814W), and the Wide Field Camera 3 in the near-ultraviolet (F275W, F336W) and near-infrared (F110W, F160W) bands. The large, contiguous survey area covers ∼14 square kpc and extends to 3.5 kpc (14′, or 1.5–2 scale lengths) from the center of M33. The PHATTER observing strategy and photometry technique closely mimics that of Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury, but with updated photometry techniques that take full advantage of all overlapping pointings (aligned to within <5–10 milliarcseconds) and improved treatment of spatially varying point-spread functions. The photometry reaches a completeness-limited depth of F475W∼28.5 in the lowest surface density regions observed in M33 and F475W∼26.5 in the most crowded regions found near the center of M33. We find the young populations trace several relatively tight arms, while the old populations show a clear, looser two-armed structure. We present extensive analysis of the data quality, including artificial star tests to quantify completeness, photometric uncertainties, and flux biases. This stellar catalog is the largest ever produced for M33, and is publicly available for download by the community.

Recent work has shown that Milky Way–mass galaxies display an incredible range of stellar halo properties, yet the origin of this diversity is unclear. The nearby galaxy M81—currently interacting with M82 and NGC 3077—sheds unique light on this problem. We present a Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam survey of the resolved stellar populations around M81, revealing M81's stellar halo in never-before-seen detail. We resolve the halo to unprecedented V-band equivalent surface brightnesses of 33 mag arcsec −2 and produce the first-ever global stellar mass density map for a Milky Way–mass stellar halo outside of the Local Group. Using the minor axis, we confirm M81's halo as one of the lowest mass and metal poorest known (M ⋆ ≃ 1.16 × 109 M ⊙, [Fe/H] ≃ −1.2)—indicating a relatively quiet prior accretion history. Yet, our global halo census finds that tidally unbound material from M82 and NGC 3077 provides a substantial infusion of metal-rich material (M ⋆ ≃ 5.4 × 108 M ⊙, [Fe/H] ≃−0.9). We further show that, following the accretion of its massive satellite M82 (and the LMC-like NGC 3077), M81 will host one of the most massive and metal-rich stellar halos in the nearby universe. Thus, the saga of M81: following a passive history, M81's merger with M82 will completely transform its halo from a low-mass, anemic halo rivaling the Milky Way, to a metal-rich behemoth rivaled only by systems such as M31. This dramatic transformation indicates that the observed diversity in stellar halo properties is primarily driven by diversity in the largest mergers these galaxies have experienced.