Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-m9pkr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-11T11:17:16.571Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Pre-Main Sequence Turn-On as a Chronometer for Young Clusters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 July 2011

M. Cignoni
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Astronomia, via Ranzani 1, 40127 Bologna, Italy INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, 40127 Bologna, Italy
M. Tosi
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, 40127 Bologna, Italy
E. Sabbi
Affiliation:
Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, USA
A. Nota
Affiliation:
Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, USA European Space Agency, Research and Scientific Support Department, Baltimore, USA
S. Degl’Innocenti
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa, largo Pontecorvo 3, Pisa 56127, Italy INFN – Sezione di Pisa, largo Pontecorvo 3, Pisa 56127, Italy
P.G. Prada Moroni
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa, largo Pontecorvo 3, Pisa 56127, Italy INFN – Sezione di Pisa, largo Pontecorvo 3, Pisa 56127, Italy
J.S. Gallagher
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Get access

Abstract

We present a new approach to estimate the ages of very young clusters based on the Pre-Main Sequence (PMS) Turn-On (TOn), point in the colour magnitude diagram where the PMS joins the main sequence (MS). In order to detect the TOn magnitude, we propose to monitor the spatial distribution of MS stars: any drop in the MS spatial density is a necessary signature for a successful TOn identification and, accordingly, a robust cluster dating. We use Hubble Space Telescope photometry of the star forming region NGC 346 as a benchmark for the method.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cignoni, M., Tosi, M., Sabbi, E., et al., 2010, ApJ, 712, L63CrossRef
Sabbi, E., et al., 2007, AJ, 133, 44CrossRef