Star formation in the outer Galaxy: the young cluster NGC 1893
Abstract
Stellar formation in the outer Galaxy is expected to be less conspicuous due to worse conditions. Several stellar forming regions in the outer Galaxy have shown similar characteristics to others in the inner Galaxy. The very recent episodes of stellar formation in NGC 1893 (age ∼1.5 Myr) demonstrates it. This cluster is an optimal laboratory to study stellar formation phenomena: it includes the presence of at least 6 O-type stars, two pennant nebulae, dark nebular clouds, and a high disc frequency among its members. We are conducting a series of papers on this cluster based on multiwavelength data, including Spitzer and Chandra observations. We study membership, morphology of the cluster, the spatial distribution of stellar ages and circumstellar discs, and the influence of the massive stars of the cluster in the evolution of circumstellar discs. NGC 1893 has shown similar characteristics to other stellar forming regions at closer distances to the Sun. The ionizing UV flux from massive stars plays an important role in the earlier dissipation of circumstellar discs in closer stars. There is a disc frequency of 52% in a sample complete in the mass range 0.35-2 M_{⊙}. This frequency is slightly lower than in clusters of similar age at closer distance. We attribute this to the faster disc evaporation by radiation of massive stars, the use of a different mass range in each case, and/or the method employed to select stars with and without discs.
- Publication:
-
Highlights of Spanish Astrophysics VII
- Pub Date:
- May 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013hsa7.conf..628S