X - ray emission from the Sculptor galaxy NGC 300

We report here the results of a full analysis of all the ROSAT PSPC spectral imaging observations and all the ROSAT HRI high resolution imaging observations of the very nearby (D = 2.1 Mpc) Sculptor galaxy, NGC 300. Many point sources are detected within the field, several of them showing evidence for variability, and we present full source lists detailing their X-ray properties, and attempt to classify them on the basis of their temporal, spectral and multi-wavelength characteristics. A black hole X-ray binary candidate, a supersoft source and several supernova remnants and H ii regions are detected in X-rays, as is unresolved, possibly diffuse emission, accounting for perhaps ∼20% of the total NGC 300 X-ray (0.1−2.4 keV) luminosity (5.8×1038 erg s−1). We compare the X-ray source luminosity distribution of NGC 300 with that of other nearby galaxies, and we also compare NGC 300 with its Sculptor neighbours, concluding that it is a quite an unremarkable system, showing no unusual X-ray (or other multi-wavelength) properties. It may be one of the best examples of a completely typical normal quiescent late-type spiral galaxy.