Intermediate Old Star Clusters in a Young Starburst: The case of NGC 5253

Abstract

We investigate the star cluster population in the outer parts of the starburst galaxy NGC 5253 using archive images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys. Based on the F415W, F555W, and F814W photometry ages and masses are estimated for bona-fide star cluster candidates. We find three potentially massive ($\ge 10 \time 10^5$ \Msun) star clusters at ages of order of 1-2 Gyr, implying, if confirmed, a high global star formation rate in NGC 5253 during that epoch. This result underlines earlier findings that the current star burst is just one episode in an very active dwarf galaxy.

accepted for publication in MNRAS - The definitive version is (will be) available at www.blackwell-synergy.com

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• Piecing together the puzzle of NGC 5253: abundances, kinematics and WR stars
• The NGC 5253 star cluster system. I. Standard modelling and infrared-excess sources
• HeI in the central Giant HII Region of NGC 5253. A 2D observational approach to collisional and radiative transfer effects
• The heart of NGC 5253 as seen with MUSE-NFM: nitrogen enrichment through stellar chemical feedback at parsec scales