paper

Deep Near Infrared Imaging toward Vela Molecular Ridge C - 1: A Remarkable Embedded Cluster in RCW 36 -

arXiv:astro-ph/0406645 · doi:10.1086/423705

Abstract

We present deep near-infrared (J, H, Ks) images toward an embedded cluster which lies in a C18O clump in the cloud C of the Vela Molecular Ridge. This cluster has at least ~ 350 members and a radius of ~ 0.5 pc. The stellar surface number density is approximately 3000 stars pc^-2 in the central 0.1 pc x 0.1 pc region of the cluster. This is much higher than most of the young clusters within 1 kpc of the Sun. From the comparison of the luminosity function and near-infrared excess fraction with those of other embedded clusters, we estimate that the age of this cluster is approximately 2-3 Myr. This cluster exhibits an excess of brighter stars in its central region, from which we conclude that the more massive stars are located near the cluster center.

23 pages, 8 figures. Color version of Figure 1 made available in gif format. Accepted 24 June 2004 for publication in the ApJ

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