2016ApJ...819...43G

The identification of galaxies with "overly massive" black holes requires two measurements: a black hole mass (M_bh) and a host spheroid mass (M_sph,*). Here we provide our measurements for NGC 1277. Our structural decomposition reveals that NGC 1277 is dominated by a "classical" spheroid with a Sersic index n = 5.3, a half-light radius R_e,major=2.1 kpc, and a stellar mass of 2.7×10¹¹  M_☉ (using M_*/L_V=11.65, Martin-Navarro et al.). This mass is an order of magnitude greater than originally reported. Using the latest M_bh-n, M_bh-M_sph,*, and M_bh-σ relations, the expected black hole mass is, respectively, (0.57_–0.40^+1.29)×10⁹  M_☉, (1.58_–1.13^+4.04)×10⁹  M_☉, and (2.27_–1.44^+4.04)×10⁹  M_☉ (using σ = 300 km s^–1) for which the "sphere-of-influence" is 0.''31. Our new kinematical maps obtained from laser guide star assisted, adaptive optics on the Keck I Telescope dramatically reaffirm the presence of the inner, nearly edge-on, disk seen in the galaxy image. We also report that this produces a large velocity shear (∼400 km s^–1) across the inner 0.''2 (70 pc) plus elevated values of sqrt(σ) ²+V² across the inner (±3′′ / . 8)×(±0′′ / . 6) region of the galaxy. Our new multi-Gaussian expansion (MGE) models and Jeans Anisotropic MGE analysis struggled to match this extended component. Our optimal black hole mass, albeit a probable upper limit because of the disk is 1.2 x 10⁹ M_☉ (M/L_V=12.3). This is an order of magnitude smaller than originally reported and 4 times smaller than recently reported. It gives an M_bh/M_sph,* ratio of 0.45% in agreement with the median (≃0.5%) and range (0.1%-5.0%) observed in non-dwarf, early-type galaxies. This result highlights the need for caution with inner disks.