Getting the Red Out: A Stellar Approach to Determining Spatial Variations of Interstellar Dust

Abstract

By employing two different spectroscopic techniques we have mapped out the variable ISM dust extinction endemic to globular cluster M4. We derive an average E(B-V) reddening of 0.33 +/- 0.01 and R = 3.4 +/- 0.4, both in good agreement with previous studies of M4. For individual stars in the most heavily reddened regions of M4, we find E(B-V) values significantly higher than those inferred by studies of interstellar gas; for heavily reddened regions, the gas measured in column density measurements may not completely trace the dust.

4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Revista Mexicana de Astronomia y Astrofisica Serie de Conferencias: ``The Seventh Texas-Mexico Conference on Astrophysics: Glows, Flows & Blows'' April 6-8, 2000, Austin, Texas