The 2.2  m stellar distribution in the galactic plane

Abstract

Infrared star counts in the plane of the Galaxy are presented. In the disc of the Galaxy the star counts can be described by a simple exponential model. At longitude 30°, where the line of sight is tangential to a ring of molecular clouds, this disc population is supplemented by an increase in density of late type stars. Towards the galactic centre the extinction at 2.2 μm is low enough for the dense core to be seen in the star counts. The contribution of the nucleus dominates the star counts from the disc population in this direction.