The young stellar population associated with the HII region NGC 3576.
Abstract
J H K images and photometry of sources associated with the HII region NGC 3576 are presented together with an 8-13 micrometers CVF spectrum of the most conspicuous source in the region, Irs 1. A total of 135 sources were detected in K in the surveyed area of 340 x 340 square arc seconds. From the spatial distribution and photometry we deducted the presence of a very young massive star cluster deeply embedded in the molecular cloud. Comparison of the apparent K luminosity distribution of the cluster region with that of surrounding areas, suggests that the cluster contains more than fifty members brighter than K approxmiately = 13, the majority of which (greater than 70%) show significant IR excess. A steep gradient in the near-infrared color is seen from the north-east to the south-west of the cluster indicating that the formation of stars started further out of the cloud and as the older population expands, it has progressed to deeper parts into the cloud where the more recent events are taking place. In the core, the star formation efficiency is found to be 0.19. The distance to this cluster is estimated to be 2.4 kpc.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- February 1994
- Bibcode:
- 1994A&A...282..474P
- Keywords:
-
- H Ii Regions;
- Infrared Spectra;
- Molecular Clouds;
- Protostars;
- Star Clusters;
- Star Formation;
- Astronomical Catalogs;
- Astronomical Photometry;
- Cameras;
- Radial Velocity;
- Spatial Distribution;
- Stellar Luminosity;
- Telescopes;
- Astrophysics