HST Astrometry of M4 and the Galactic Constant V_0/R_0

Abstract

From multi-epoch WFPC2/HST observations we present astrometric measurements of stars in the Galactic globular cluster M4 (NGC 6121) and in the foreground/background. The presence of an extragalactic point source allows us to determine the absolute proper motion of the cluster, and, through use of the field stars in this region only 18 degree from the Galactic center, to measure the difference between the Oort constants, A-B. We find: (mu_alpha cos dec, mu_dec)_J2000 = (-13.21 +/- 0.35, -19.28 +/- 0.35) mas/yr, and A-B = V_0/R_0 = 27.6 +/- 1.7 km / s / kpc.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, A.J.__ACCEPTED__, 1 April, 2003, (...!