M32-like galaxies: still very rare -- M32 analogues do not exist in the Leo group

Abstract

New observations of galaxies in the direction of the Leo group, which were classified as being candidates for M32-like dwarf galaxies by Ferguson & Sandage (1990), show that these galaxies are normal elliptical galaxies at redshifts between z=0.02 and z=0.06. This result adds further evidence that the faint end of the luminosity function of elliptical galaxies falls off very steep and that objects like M32 are extremely rare.

5 pages including 2 eps-figures, Latex, uses aa.sty and astron.sty, accepted by A&A main journal, also available at http://www.usm.uni-muenchen.de:8001/people/ziegler/pubs.html