Confirmation of a cluster of galaxies hidden behind the Galactic bulge
  using the VVV Survey
  Suzaku and Chandra X-ray observations detected a new cluster of galaxies,
Suzaku J1759-3450, at a redshift z=0.13. It is located behind the Milky Way,
and the high Galactic dust extinction renders it nearly invisible at optical
wavelengths. We attempt here to confirm the galaxy cluster with near-infrared
imaging observations, and to characterize its central member galaxies. Images
from the VVV survey were used to detect candidate member galaxies of Suzaku
J1759-3450 within the central region of the cluster, up to 350 kpc from the
X-ray peak emission. Color-magnitude and color-color diagrams and morphology
criteria allowed us to select the galaxies among the numerous foreground
sources. Fifteen candidate cluster members were found very close to a modeled
red-sequence at the redshift of the cluster. Five members are extremely bright,
and one is possibly a cD galaxy. The asymmetry in the spatial distribution of
the galaxies respect to the X-ray peak emission is an indicator of that this
cluster is still suffering a virialization process. Our investigation of Suzaku
J1759-3450 demonstrates the potential of the VVV Survey to study the hidden
population of galaxies in the Zone of Avoidance.
