2007/10/18 by Paul B. Eskridge, Richard de Grijs, Peter Anders +4
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/1/120
published as Astron.J.135:120-129,2008 · 21 pages, 11 figures, accepted by AJ
arxiv created 2007/10/18 · openalex publication_date 2007/12/07 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Ultraviolet, optical and near-infrared images of the nearby ( D ≈ 5.5 Mpc) SBm galaxy NGC 1311, obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope , reveal a small population of 13 candidate star clusters. We identify candidate star clusters based on a combination of their luminosity, extent, and spectral energy distribution. The masses of the cluster candidates range from ∼10 3 M ⊙ up to ∼10 5 M ⊙ , and show a strong positive trend of larger mass with increasing with cluster age. Such a trend follows from the fading and dissolution of old, low-mass clusters, and the lack of any young super-star clusters of the sort often formed in strong starbursts. The cluster age distribution is consistent with a bursting mode of cluster formation, with active episodes of age ∼10 Myr, ∼100 Myr, and Gyr. The ranges of age and mass we probe are consistent with those of the star clusters found in quiescent Local Group dwarf galaxies.