Bibcode
Ramírez Alegría, S.; Marín-Franch, A.; Herrero, A.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 567, id.A66, 12 pp.
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7
2014
Journal
Citations
6
Refereed citations
6
Description
Context. The discovery of new, obscured massive star clusters has
changed our understanding of the Milky Way star-forming activity from a
passive to a very active star-forming machine. The search for these
obscured clusters is strongly supported by the use of all-sky, near-IR
surveys. Aims: The main goal of the MASGOMAS project is to search
for and study unknown, young, and massive star clusters in the Milky
Way, using near-IR data. Here we try to determine the main physical
parameters (distance, size, total mass, and age) of Masgomas-4, a new
double-core obscured cluster. Methods: Using near-IR photometry
(J, H, and KS) we selected a total of 21 stars as OB-type
star candidates. Multi-object, near-IR follow-up spectroscopy allowed us
to carry out the spectral classification of the OB-type candidates. Results: Of the 21 spectroscopically observed stars, ten are
classified as OB-type stars, eight as F- to early G-type dwarf stars,
and three as late-type giant stars. Spectroscopically estimated
distances indicate that the OB-type stars belong to the same cluster,
located at a distance of 1.90+1.28-0.90 kpc. Our
spectrophotometric data confirm a very young and massive stellar
population, with a clear concentration of pre-main-sequence massive
candidates (Herbig Ae/Be) around one of the cluster cores. The presence
of a surrounding H II cloud and the Herbig Ae/Be candidates indicate an
upper age limit of 5 Myr.
Related projects
The IACOB project: A new Era in the Study of Galactic OB Stars
IACOB is an ambitious long-term project whose main scientific goal is to provide an unprecedented empirical overview of the main physical properties of Galactic massive O- and B-type stars which can be used as definitive anchor point for our theories of stellar atmospheres, winds, interiors and evolution of massive stars
Sergio
Simón Díaz