Blind HI survey in the Great Attractor region

Optically, the Zone of Avoidance (ZOA) can only be explored to within a few degrees of the Galactic Equator. This restriction does not apply to radio wavelengths where we are able to detect galaxies at great distances behind the Galactic Plane. Using the Parkes 21 cm multibeam instrument we have detected neutral hydrogen (HI) in 42 galaxies in the region of the Great Attractor. We have been able to identify nine galaxies and make positional associations with a further six from existing optical catalogues, which makes at least 60% of these galaxies new discoveries.