Stellar Contents and Globular Cluster Candidates in the Sculptor Group Galaxy NGC 300

Abstract

We present UBVI CCD photometry of the stellar contents and globular cluster(GC) candidates in the spiral galaxy NGC 300 in the Sculptor group. Color-magnitude diagrams for 18 OB associations having more than 30 member stars are presented. The slope of the initial mass function for the bright stars in NGC 300 is estimated to be Gamma = -2.6 +/- 0.3. Assuming the distance to NGC 300 of (m-M)_0 = 26.53 +/- 0.07, the mean absolute magnitude of three brightest blue stars is obtained to be <M_V^{BSG}(3)> = -8.95 mag. We have performed search for GCs in NGC 300 and have found 17 GC candidates in this galaxy. Some characteristics of these GC candidates are discussed.