VLT High Precision Astrometry of Galactic Starburst Clusters

Physics – Optics

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

Starburst clusters constitute ideal laboratories to probe cluster formation and evolution, and to test and calibrate early stellar evolutionary models over the entire range of stellar masses. While the high-mass stellar population of Galactic starburst clusters can be readily identified, crowding as well as sample contamination by foreground and field stars hamper a precise and complete characterization of their low-mass stellar content. High angular resolution observations as facilitated by adaptive optics at 8m to 10m class telescopes help to overcome crowding, and thus improve photometric accuracy and aid spectroscopic classification. Multi-epoch adaptive optics imaging observations yield high precision astrometry, which enables one to distinguish cluster members from field stars on a star-by-star basis down to very low masses. We present examples of how such studies can be employed to test theoretical stellar evolutionary models, and to determine overall cluster properties like spatial extent, total mass, and internal dynamics.
We acknowledge support by the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

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