Supergalactic studies. I. Supergalactic distribution of the nearest galaxies

The supergalactic distribution of the nearest galaxies is investigated to test the nature of the Local Supercluster and to determine whether the Local Group is inside or outside its boundaries. Objectively selected samples of galaxies generally nearer than 10 Mpc are defined by members of the Local Group, the largest and/or brightest galaxies (mag <10, diameter >10', with V0<+700 km s-1), low-velocity galaxies (V0<+200 km s-1), the DDO dwarfs. The great majority of these objects are distributed in a broad belt well populated in both hemispheres and inclined 14degree to the supergalactic equator. This belt, including the Local Group, the Sculptor ring, the Centaurus chain, the M51, M81, M101, and IC 342 groups, and several others as well as isolated, nearby field galaxies, is a supergalactic analog to the Gould belt in galactic structure. Its north pole is at L=172degree, B=+76degree, and there is a small dip of about -4degree indicating that the Galaxy is approx.0.3 Mpc to the north of the equatorial plane of this Local Cloud of galaxies. The nearby intergalactic H i clouds, and in particular the Magellanic Stream, are also close to the same plane. The probability that the observed distributions could arise by chance if nearby groups and galaxies were randomly distributed is in the range P<10-3 to P<10-5 for the varous classes of objects. It is concluded that the Local Supercluster is a disklike physical and dynamical system, and the Local Group is well within the borders of the system. The alternative hypothesis that it is an appearance resulting from a random clumping accident has negligibly small probability