Near-Infrared photometry in the J, H and Kn bands for Polar Ring Galaxies: I. Data, structural parameters

Abstract

We present new Near-Infrared (NIR) observations, in the J, H and Kn bands, for a sample of Polar Ring Galaxies (PRGs), selected from the Polar Ring Catalogue (Whitmore et al. 1990). Data were acquired with the CASPIR near-IR camera at the 2.3 m telescope of Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatory. We report here on the detail morphological study for the central host galaxy and the polar structure in all PRGs of our sample. Total magnitudes, bulge-to-disk decomposition and structural parameters are computed for all objects. These data are crucial for an accurate modeling of the stellar population and the estimate of the star formation rates in the two components.

14 pages, 8 postscript figures, accepted for publication in A&A. For high resolution Figure 1 and Figure 4, see http://www.na.astro.it/~enrica