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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 December 2011
Near-infrared images obtained with WIRCam are used to investigate the recent history of the starburst galaxy NGC 253. The distribution of stars in the disk is lopsided, with the projected density of young and intermediate age stars in the north east portion of the disk higher than on the opposite side of the galaxy. Bright AGB stars are also detected out to 15 kpc above the disk plane. Comparisons with models suggest that the extraplanar stars formed over a broad range of ages, suggesting that the disk of NGC 253 was disrupted by a tidal encounter.