1995A&A...296..633H

We present a deep three colour study of the globular cluster system of the elliptical galaxy NGC 5813. CCD frames in B, V, and R were used to search for globular cluster candidates within the radial range from 40 to 310arcsec. Candidates were detected out to a distance of 190arcsec. The radial density profile of the cluster distribution follows a de Vaucouleurs law with a larger effective radius and a shallower gradient than found for the unresolved population of field stars. The total number of clusters is 1650±400 which corresponds to a specific globular cluster frequency of S=5.7±1.8. The mean colours of the cluster system are (B-V)=+0.74mag and (V-R)=+0.54mag. The B-V colour does not change with radius within our detection limits while we found a significant radial change in V-R of -0.1mag from the inner to the outer regions.