Gemini Follow-up of two massive HI clouds discovered with the Australian
  Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder
  Using the Gemini Multi Object Spectrograph (GMOS) we search for optical
counterparts of two massive (~10^9 solar masses) neutral hydrogen clouds near
the spiral galaxy IC 5270, located in the outskirts of the IC 1459 group. These
two HI clouds were recently discovered using the Australian Square Kilometer
Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). Two low surface brightness optical counterparts to
one of these HI clouds are identified in the new Gemini data that reaches down
to magnitudes of ~27.5 mag in the g-band. The observed HI mass to light ratio
derived with these new data, M_(HI)/L_g =242, is among the highest reported to
date. We are also able to rule out that the two HI clouds are dwarf companions
of IC 5270. Tidal interactions and ram pressure stripping are plausible
explanations for the physical origin of these two clouds.
