2MASS Observations of Spectroscopically Identified Extragalactic C Stars

We matched spectroscopically identified C stars (from low-resolution objective prism surveys) in the Magellanic Clouds with Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) sources. We confirm that C stars show a large spread in absolute magnitudes, even in the K s band. We show that the I and K s magnitude distributions of a population of C stars (in the LMC) have a similar narrow dispersion if the C stars are selected in a well-defined color range. Using magnitude and color criteria, we employ the 2MASS data to identify 26 C stars in the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy. The mean K s magnitude and the mean bolometric magnitude of C stars are found to be slightly brighter in the LMC and SMC when compared with those of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy. The difference could be explained by ages and/or abundance differences.