Thanks to their extensive and homogeneous sky coverage, deep, large-scale, multi-wavelength surveys are uniquely suited to statistically identify and map young star clusters in our Galaxy. Such studies are crucial to address themes like the initial mass function, or the modes and dynamics of star cluster formation and evolution. We aim to test a purely photometric approach to statistically identify a young clustered population embedded in a large population of field stars, with no prior knowledge on the nature of stars in the field. We conducted our blind test study on the NGC 2264 region, which hosts a well-known, richly populated young cluster (~3Myr-old) and several active star-forming sites. We selected a large (4 deg^2^) area around the NGC 2264 cluster, and assembled an extensive r, i, J catalog of the field from pre-existing large-scale surveys, notably Pan-STARRS1 and UKIDSS. We then mapped the stellar color locus on the (i-J, r-i) diagram to select M-type stars, which offer the following observational advantages with respect to more massive stars: i) they comprise a significant fraction of the Galactic stellar population; ii) their pre-main sequence phase lasts significantly longer than for higher-mass stars; iii) they exhibit the strongest luminosity evolution from the pre-main sequence to the main sequence; iv) their observed r, i, J colors provide a direct and empirical estimate of AV. A comparative analysis of the photometric and spatial properties of M-type stars as a function of AV enabled us to probe the structure and stellar content of our field. Using only r, i, J photometry, we could identify two distinct populations in our field: a diffuse field population and a clustered population in the center of the field. The presence of a concentration of occulting material, spatially associated with the clustered population, allowed us to derive an estimate of its distance (800-900pc) and age (0.5-5Myr); these values are overall consistent with the literature parameters for the NGC 2264 star-forming region. The extracted clustered population exhibits a hierarchical structure, with two main clumps and peaks in number density of objects around the most extincted locations within the field. An excellent agreement is found between the observed substructures for the clustered population and a map of the NGC 2264 subregions reported in the literature. Our selection of clustered members is coherent with the literature census of the NGC 2264 cluster for about 95% of the objects located in the inner regions of the field, where the estimated contamination rate by field stars in our sample is only 2%. In addition, the availability of a uniform dataset for a large area around the NGC 2264 region enabled us to discover a population of about a hundred stars with indications of statistical membership to the cluster, therefore extending the low-mass population census of NGC 2264 to distances of 10-15pc from the cluster cores. By making use solely of deep, multi-band (r, i, J) photometry, without assuming any further knowledge on the stellar population of our field, we were able to statistically identify and reconstruct the structure of a very young cluster that has been a prime target for star formation studies over several decades. The method tested here can be readily applied to surveys such as Pan-STARRS and the future LSST to undertake a first complete census of low-mass, young stellar populations down to distances of several kpc across the Galactic plane. Cone search capability for table J/A+A/621/A14/table4 (List of the M-type clustered population identified in the NGC 2264 field)

This table contains some of the results from a study of the X-ray binary (XRB) populations in the bulge and ring regions of the ring galaxy NGC 1291. Utilizing the four available Chandra observations totaling an effective exposure of 179 ks, the authors detect 169 X-ray point sources in the galaxy in the full band (0.3 - 8.0 keV) with a false-positive probability threshold of 10^-6 (implying approximately 2 false detections given the size of the image). Of these sources, 75 are in the bulge and 71 are in the ring. The authors report photometric properties of these sources in a point-source catalog. There are ~ 40% of the bulge sources and ~ 25% of the ring sources showing > 3-sigma long-term variability in their X-ray count rate. The X-ray colors suggest that a significant fraction of the bulge (~ 75%) and ring (~ 65%) sources are likely low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). The spectra of the nuclear source indicate that it is a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) with moderate obscuration; spectral variability is observed between individual observations. The authors construct 0.3-8.0 keV X-ray luminosity functions (XLFs) for the bulge and ring XRB populations, taking into account the detection incompleteness and background AGN contamination. They reach 90% completeness limits of ~ 1.5 x 10³⁷ and ~ 2.2 x 10³⁷ erg s^-1 for the bulge and ring populations, respectively. Both XLFs can be fit with a broken power-law model, and the shapes are consistent with those expected for populations dominated by LMXBs. In the paper, the authors perform detailed population synthesis modeling of the XRB populations in NGC 1291, which suggests that the observed combined XLF is dominated by an old LMXB population. They compare the bulge and ring XRB populations, and argue that the ring XRBs are associated with a younger stellar population than the bulge sources, based on the relative overdensity of X-ray sources in the ring, the generally harder X-ray color of the ring sources, the overabundance of luminous sources in the combined XLF, and the flatter shape of the ring XLF. This table was created by the HEASARC in May 2012 based on an electronic version of Table 2 from the reference paper obtained from the ApJ website. This is a service provided by NASA HEASARC .

Globular clusters (GCs) represent a valuable tool as a fossil tracer of the formation and evolution of galaxies and their environment. As such, studying the properties of these stellar systems provides crucial insights into the past formation and interaction events of the galaxies, especially in galaxy group and cluster environments. We study the properties of globular cluster (GC) candidates in an area of 1.25x1.03 sq. degrees centred on the NGC 5018 group of galaxies using the deep, wide field and multi-passband (ugr) observations obtained with the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) as part of the VST Elliptical Galaxy Survey (VEGAS). With a focus on studying small stellar systems (SSS) associated with bright galaxies, this paper is a continuation of the VEGAS-SSS series to investigate the GCs in the NGC 5018 group. We derived photometric catalogues of compact and extended sources in the area and identified GC candidates using a set of photometric and morphometric selection parameters. A GC candidates catalogue is provided and is inspected using a statistical background decontamination technique, benefiting from the wide area coverage of the data. The 2D distribution map of GC candidates reveals an overdensity of sources on the brightest member of the group, NGC 5018. No significant GC overdensities are observed in the other bright galaxies of the group. We report the discovery of a candidate local nucleated LSB dwarf galaxy that is possibly in tidal interaction with NGC 5018. The 2D map also reveals an intra-group GC population aligning with the bright galaxies and along the intra-group light (IGL) component of the group. The radial density profile of GC candidates in NGC 5018 follows the galaxy surface brightness profile. The (g-r) colour profile of GC candidates centred on this galaxy shows no evidence of the well-known colour bimodality, which is instead observed in the intra-group population. From the GC luminosity function (GCLF) analysis, we find a low specific frequency S_N_=0.59+/-0.27 for NGC 5018, consistent with previous results based on less deep optical data over a smaller area. This relatively low S_N and the lack of colour bimodality might be due to a combination of observational data limitations and the post-merger status of NGC 5018, which might host a population of relatively young GCs. For the intra-group GC population, we obtain a lower limit of S_N,gr_~0.6. Using the GCLF as a distance indicator, we estimate that NGC 5018 is located 38.0+/-7.9Mpc away, consistent with values in the literature.

This contains some of the results from the first high spatial resolution X-ray study of the massive star-forming region NGC 6357, which were obtained in a 38 ks Chandra/ACIS observation. Inside the brightest constituent of this large H II region complex is the massive open cluster Pismis 24. It contains two of the brightest and bluest stars known, yet remains poorly studied; only a handful of optically bright stellar members have been identified. The authors have investigated the cluster extent and initial mass function and detected ~800 X-ray sources with a limiting sensitivity of ~ 10³⁰ erg s^-1: this provides the first reliable probe of the rich intermediate-mass and low-mass population of this massive cluster, increasing the number of known members from optical studies by a factor of ~ 50. The high-luminosity end (log L[2-8 keV] >= 30.3 erg s^-1) of the observed X-ray luminosity function in NGC 6357 is clearly consistent with a power-law relation as seen in the Orion Nebula Cluster and Cepheus B, yielding the first estimate of NGC 6357's total cluster population, a few times the known Orion population. The long-standing L_X ~ 10^-7 L_bol correlation for O stars is confirmed. Twenty-four candidate O stars and one possible new obscured massive YSO or Wolf-Rayet star are presented. Many cluster members are estimated to be intermediate-mass stars from available infrared photometry (assuming an age of ~ 1 Myr), but only a few exhibit K-band excess. The authors report the first detection of X-ray emission from an evaporating gaseous globule at the tip of a molecular pillar; this source is likely a B0-B2 protostar. NGC 6357 was observed on 2004 July 9 with the Imaging Array of the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS-I) on board Chandra. Four front-illuminated (FI) CCDs form the ACIS-I, which covers a field of view (FOV) of ~ 17 by 17 arcminutes. The observation was made in the standard Timed Exposure, Very Faint mode, with 3.2 s integration time and 5 pixel by 5 pixel event islands. The total exposure time was 38 ks and the satellite roll angle was 289 degrees. The aim point was centered on the O3 If star Pis 24-1, the heart of the OB association Pismis 24. The Chandra observation ID is 4477. Data reduction started with filtering the Level 1 event list processed by the Chandra X-ray Center pipeline to recover an improved Level 2 event list. To improve absolute astrometry, X-ray positions of ACIS-I sources were obtained by running the wavdetect wavelet-based source detection algorithm within the Chandra Interactive Analysis of Observations (CIAO) package on the original Level 2 event list, using only the central 8 by 8 arcminutes of the field. The resulting X-ray sources were matched to the 2MASS point source catalog. The authors calculated the position offsets between 277 X-ray sources and their NIR counterparts and applied an offset of +0.02" in right ascension (R.A.) and -0.33" in declination to the X-ray coordinates. From an initial list of 910 potential X-ray sources, the authors rejected sources with a P_B > 1% likelihood of being a background fluctuation. The trimmed source list includes 779 sources, with full-band (0.5 - 8.0 keV) net (background-subtracted) counts ranging from 1.7 to 1837 counts. The 779 valid sources were purposely divided by the authors into two lists: the 665 sources with P_B < 0.1% make up the primary source list of highly reliable sources (Table 1 in the reference paper; sources with source_type = 'M' in this table), and the remaining 114 sources with P_B >= 0.1% likelihood of being spurious background fluctuations were listed as tentative sources in Table 2 of the reference paper (source_type = 'T' in this table). The authors believe that most of these tentative sources are likely real detections. This table was created by the HEASARC in October 2007 based on the merger of the electronic versions of Tables 1 (Main Source Catalog) and 2 (Tentative Sources which were obtained from the ApJ website. To help distinguish from which original table entries in this Browse table come from, the HEASARC has created a parameter called source_type which is set to 'M' for sources from Table 1 and to 'T' for sources from Table 2. This is a service provided by NASA HEASARC .

We present Chandra studies of the X-ray binary (XRB) populations in the bulge and ring regions of the ring galaxy NGC 1291. We detect 169 X-ray point sources in the galaxy, 75 in the bulge and 71 in the ring, utilizing the four available Chandra observations totaling an effective exposure of 179 ks. We report photometric properties of these sources in a point-source catalog. There are {approx}40% of the bulge sources and {approx}25% of the ring sources showing >3{sigma} long-term variability in their X-ray count rate. The X-ray colors suggest that a significant fraction of the bulge ({approx}75%) and ring ({approx}65%) sources are likely low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). The spectra of the nuclear source indicate that it is a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) with moderate obscuration; spectral variability is observed between individual observations. We construct 0.3-8.0 keV X-ray luminosity functions (XLFs) for the bulge and ring XRB populations, taking into account the detection incompleteness and background AGN contamination. We reach 90% completeness limits of {approx}1.5x10^37^ and {approx}2.2x10^37^ erg/s for the bulge and ring populations, respectively. Both XLFs can be fit with a broken power-law model, and the shapes are consistent with those expected for populations dominated by LMXBs. We perform detailed population synthesis modeling of the XRB populations in NGC 1291, which suggests that the observed combined XLF is dominated by an old LMXB population. We compare the bulge and ring XRB populations, and argue that the ring XRBs are associated with a younger stellar population than the bulge sources, based on the relative overdensity of X-ray sources in the ring, the generally harder X-ray color of the ring sources, the overabundance of luminous sources in the combined XLF, and the flatter shape of the ring XLF.

This table contains the point source catalog based on the first high spatial resolution X-ray study of NGC 2244, the 2 Myr old stellar cluster in the Rosette Nebula, using Chandra. Over 900 X-ray sources are detected within 20 arcminutes of the cluster central position (J2000.0 RA and Dec of 6 31 59.9, +4 55 36); 77% of these X-ray sources have optical or FLAMINGOS NIR stellar counterparts and are mostly previously uncataloged young cluster members. The X-ray-selected population is estimated to be nearly complete between 0.5 and 3 M_solar. A number of further results emerge from the analysis: (1) The X-ray luminosity function (XLF) and the associated K-band LF indicate a normal Salpeter IMF for NGC 2244. This is inconsistent with the top-heavy IMF reported from earlier optical studies that lacked a good census of < 4 M_solar stars. By comparing the NGC 2244 and Orion Nebula Cluster XLFs, the authors estimate a total population of ~2000 stars in NGC 2244. (2) The spatial distribution of X-ray stars is strongly concentrated around the central O5 star, HD 46150. The other early O star, HD 46223, has few companions. The cluster's stellar radial density profile shows two distinctive structures: a power-law cusp around HD 46150 that extends to ~0.7 pc, surrounded by an isothermal sphere extending out to 4 pc with core radius 1.2 pc. This double structure, combined with the absence of mass segregation, indicates that this 2 Myr old cluster is not in dynamical equilibrium. (3) The fraction of X-ray-selected cluster members with K-band excesses caused by inner protoplanetary disks is 6%, slightly lower than the 10% disk fraction estimated from the FLAMINGOS study based on the NIR-selected sample. (4) X-ray luminosities for 24 stars earlier than B4 confirm the long-standing log (L_X/L_bol) ~ -7 relation. The Rosette OB X-ray spectra are soft and consistent with the standard model of small-scale shocks in the inner wind of a single massive star. This table was created by the HEASARC in July 2008 based on electronic versions of Tables 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the reference paper which were obtained from the electronic ApJ web site. This is a service provided by NASA HEASARC .

We present a new Halpha image of high quality of the grand-design galaxy NGC 6814, and describe statistical properties of the HII region population. We have determined positions, angular sizes, and calibrated fluxes of 735 individual HII regions. We construct luminosity functions (LFs) for the complete sample, separately for arm and interarm regions, and for HII regions within and outside the limiting radius corresponding to the bright optical disk. The slope of the LF for the complete sample agrees well with values published for other Sbc and Sc galaxies. LFs for HII regions in the arms, in the interarm regions, in the inner part, and in the outer part of the galaxy all have the same slopes. We show and discuss the diameter distribution of the HII regions, both for the complete sample and for the separate arm, interarm, inner, and outer disk samples. There is no evidence for a different population of HII regions in the spiral arms, nor is there evidence for the existence of a significant population of density-bounded HII regions. We discuss implications for massive star forming processes in this galaxy, and discuss possible differences from other grand-design spirals., We present a new Halpha image of high quality of the grand-design galaxy NGC 6814, and describe statistical properties of the HII region population. We have determined positions, angular sizes, and calibrated fluxes of 735 individual HII regions. We construct luminosity functions (LFs) for the complete sample, separately for arm and interarm regions, and for HII regions within and outside the limiting radius corresponding to the bright optical disk. The slope of the LF for the complete sample agrees well with values published for other Sbc and Sc galaxies. LFs for HII regions in the arms, in the interarm regions, in the inner part, and in the outer part of the galaxy all have the same slopes. We show and discuss the diameter distribution of the HII regions, both for the complete sample and for the separate arm, interarm, inner, and outer disk samples. There is no evidence for a different population of HII regions in the spiral arms, nor is there evidence for the existence of a significant population of density-bounded HII regions. We discuss implications for massive star forming processes in this galaxy, and discuss possible differences from other grand-design spirals.

Observations of massive stars in open clusters younger than 8 Myr have shown that a majority of them are in binary systems, most of which will interact during their life. While these can be used as a proxy of the initial multiplicity properties, studying populations of massive stars older than ~20Myr allows us to probe the outcome of such interactions after a significant number of systems have experienced mass and angular momentum transfer and possibly even merged. Using multi-epoch integral-field spectroscopy, we aim to investigate the multiplicity properties of the massive-star population in the dense core of the ~40Myr-old cluster NGC 330 in the Small Magellanic Cloud in order to search for possible imprints of stellar evolution on the multiplicity properties. We obtained six epochs of VLT/MUSE observations operated in wide-field mode with the extended wavelength setup and supported by adaptive optics.We extract spectra and measure radial velocities for stars brighter than m_F814W_=19. We identify single-lined spectroscopic binaries through significant RV variability with a peak-to-peak amplitude larger than 20km/s. We also identify double-lined spectroscopic binaries, and quantify the observational biases for binary detection. In particular, we take into account that binary systems with similar line strength are difficult to detect in our data set. The observed spectroscopic binary fraction among the stars brighter than m_F814W_=19 (~5.5M_{sun} on the main sequence) is f^obs^_SB=13.2+/-2:0%. Considering period and mass ratio ranges from log(P)=0.15-3.5 (about 1.4 to 3160d), and q=0.1-1.0, and a representative set of orbital parameter distributions, we find a bias-corrected close binary fraction of f_cl_=34^+8^-7%. This fraction seems to decline for the fainter stars, which indicates either that the close binary fraction drops in the B-type domain, or that the period distribution becomes more heavily weighted towards longer orbital periods.We further find that both fractions vary strongly in different regions of the color-magnitude diagram that corresponds to different evolutionary stages. This probably reveals the imprint of the binary history of different groups of stars. In particular, we find that the observed spectroscopic binary fraction of Be stars (f^obs^SB=2+/-2%) is significantly lower than the one of B-type stars (f^obs^SB=9+/-2%). In this work we provide the first homogeneous RV study of a large sample of B-type stars at a low metallicity ([Fe/H]<~-1.0). The overall bias-corrected close binary fraction (log(P)<3.5d) of the B-star population in NGC 330 is lower than the one reported for younger Galactic and LMC clusters in previous works. More data are, however, needed to establish whether the observed differences result from an age or a metallicity effect.

We report the discovery of amplitude and phase modulations typical of the Blazhko effect in 22 RRc and nine RRab type RR Lyrae stars in NGC 5024 (M53). This brings the confirmed Blazhko variables in this cluster to 23 RRc and 11 RRab stars, which represent 66 and 37 per cent of the total population of RRc and RRab stars in the cluster, respectively, making NGC 5024 the globular cluster with the largest presently known population of Blazhko RRc stars. We place a lower limit of 52 per cent on the overall incidence rate of the Blazhko effect among the RR Lyrae population in this cluster. New data have allowed us to refine the pulsation periods. The limitations imposed by the time span and sampling of our data prevent reliable estimations of the modulation periods. The amplitudes of the modulations range between 0.02 and 0.39mag. The RRab and RRc are neatly separated in the colour-magnitude diagram, and the RRc Blazhko variables are on average redder than their stable counterparts; these two facts may support the hypothesis that the horizontal branch (HB) evolution in this cluster is towards the red and that the Blazhko modulations in the RRc stars are connected with the pulsation mode switch. Cone search capability for table J/MNRAS/420/1333/table2 (Periods and epochs of the RR Lyrae stars in NGC 5024 in our field of view)

We study mass functions of globular clusters derived from Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys images of the early-type merger remnant galaxy NGC 1316, which hosts a significant population of metal-rich globular clusters of intermediate age (~3Gyr). For the old, metal-poor ("blue") clusters, the peak mass of the mass function M_p_ increases with internal half-mass density {rho}h as M_p_{prop.to}{rho}h^0.44^, whereas it stays approximately constant with galactocentric distance R_gal_. The mass functions of these clusters are consistent with a simple scenario in which they formed with a Schechter initial mass function and evolved subsequently by internal two-body relaxation. For the intermediate-age population of metal-rich ("red") clusters, the faint end of the previously reported power-law luminosity function of the clusters with R_gal_>9kpc is due to many of those clusters having radii larger than the theoretical maximum value imposed by the tidal field of NGC 1316 at their R_gal_. This renders disruption by two-body relaxation ineffective. Only a few such diffuse clusters are found in the inner regions of NGC 1316. Completeness tests indicate that this is a physical effect. Using comparisons with star clusters in other galaxies and cluster disruption calculations using published models, we hypothesize that most red clusters in the low-{rho}h tail of the initial distribution have already been destroyed in the inner regions of NGC 1316 by tidal shocking, and that several remaining low-{rho}h clusters will evolve dynamically to become similar to "faint fuzzies" that exist in several lenticular galaxies. Finally, we discuss the nature of diffuse red clusters in early-type galaxies. Cone search capability for table J/ApJ/750/140/table1 (Photometry, astrometry, and sizes of GC candidates in NGC 1316)

Based on a set of over 100 medium- to high-resolution optical spectra collected from 2003 to 2009, we investigate the properties of the O-type star population in NGC 6611 in the core of the Eagle Nebula (M16). Using a much more extended data set than previously available, we revise the spectral classification and multiplicity status of the nine O-type stars in our sample. We confirm two suspected binaries and derive the first SB2 orbital solutions for two systems. We further report that two other objects are displaying a composite spectrum, suggesting possible long- period binaries. Our analysis is supported by a set of Monte-Carlo simulations, allowing us to estimate the detection biases of our campaign and showing that the latter do not affect our conclusions. The absolute minimal binary fraction in our sample is f_min_=0.44 but could be as high as 0.67 if all the binary candidates are confirmed. As in NGC 6231 (see Paper I, Sana et al., Cat. J/MNRAS/386/447), up to 75% of the O star population in NGC 6611 are found in an O+OB system, thus implicitly excluding random pairing from a classical IMF as a process to describe the companion association in massive binaries. No statistical difference could be further identified in the binary fraction, mass-ratio and period distributions between NGC 6231 and NGC 6611, despite the difference in age and environment of the two clusters. Cone search capability for table J/MNRAS/400/1479/stars (Star list)

Detailed elemental abundance patterns of metal-poor ([Fe/H]~-1 dex) stars in the Galactic bulge indicate that a number of them are consistent with globular cluster (GC) stars and may be former members of dissolved GCs. This would indicate that a few per cent of the Galactic bulge was built up from destruction and/or evaporation of GCs. Here, an attempt is made to identify such presumptive stripped stars originating from the massive, inner Galaxy GC NGC 6441 using its rich RR Lyrae variable star (RRL) population. We present radial velocities of 40 RRLs centered on the GC NGC 6441. All 13 of the RRLs observed within the cluster tidal radius have velocities consistent with cluster membership, with an average radial velocity of 24+/-5 km/s and a star-to-star scatter of 11 km/s. This includes two new RRLs that were previously not associated with the cluster. Eight RRLs with radial velocities consistent with cluster membership but up to three time the distance from the tidal radius are also reported. These potential extra-tidal RRLs also have exceptionally long periods, which is a curious characteristic of the NGC 6441 RRL population that hosts RRLs with periods longer than seen anywhere else in the Milky Way. As expected of stripped cluster stars, most are inline with the cluster's orbit. Therefore, either the tidal radius of NGC 6441 is underestimated and/or we are seeing dissolving cluster stars stemming from NGC 6441 that are building up the old spheroidal bulge. Cone search capability for table J/AJ/155/171/table1 (RR Lyrae stars in and around NGC 6441)

The multiplicity properties of massive stars are one of the important outstanding issues in stellar evolution. Quantifying the binary statistics of all evolutionary phases is essential to paint a complete picture of how and when massive stars interact with their companions, and to determine the consequences of these interactions. We investigate the multiplicity of an almost complete census of red supergiant stars (RSGs) in NGC 330, a young massive cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Using a combination of multi-epoch HARPS and MUSE spectroscopy, we estimate radial velocities and assess the kinematic and multiplicity properties of 15 RSGs in NGC 330. Radial velocities are estimated to better than +/-100m/s for the HARPS data. The line-of-sight velocity dispersion for the cluster is estimated as {sigma}1D=3.20^+0.69^-0.52_km/s. When virial equilibrium is assumed, the dynamical mass of the cluster is log(M_dyn/M_{sun})=5.20+/-0.17, in good agreement with previous upper limits. We detect significant radial velocity variability in our multi-epoch observations and distinguish between variations caused by atmospheric activity and those caused by binarity. The binary fraction of NGC 330 RSGs is estimated by comparisons with simulated observations of systems with a range of input binary fractions. In this way, we account for observational biases and estimate the intrinsic binary fraction for RSGs in NGC 330 as f_RSG=0.3+/-0.1 for orbital periods in the range 2.3<logP[days]0.1. Using the distribution of the luminosities of the RSG population, we estimate the age of NGC 330 to be 45+/-5Myr and estimate a red straggler fraction of 50%. We estimate the binary fraction of RSGs in NGC 330 and conclude that it appears to be lower than that of main-sequence massive stars, which is expected because interactions between an RSG and a companion are assumed to effectively strip the RSG envelope. Cone search capability for table J/A+A/635/A29/sources (List of studied source (from table B1 of the paper))

This table contains the point source catalog based on the first high spatial resolution X-ray study of NGC 2244, the 2 Myr old stellar cluster in the Rosette Nebula, using Chandra. Over 900 X-ray sources are detected within 20 arcminutes of the cluster central position (J2000.0 RA and Dec of 6 31 59.9, +4 55 36); 77% of these X-ray sources have optical or FLAMINGOS NIR stellar counterparts and are mostly previously uncataloged young cluster members. The X-ray-selected population is estimated to be nearly complete between 0.5 and 3 M_solar. A number of further results emerge from the analysis: (1) The X-ray luminosity function (XLF) and the associated K-band LF indicate a normal Salpeter IMF for NGC 2244. This is inconsistent with the top-heavy IMF reported from earlier optical studies that lacked a good census of < 4 M_solar stars. By comparing the NGC 2244 and Orion Nebula Cluster XLFs, the authors estimate a total population of ~2000 stars in NGC 2244. (2) The spatial distribution of X-ray stars is strongly concentrated around the central O5 star, HD 46150. The other early O star, HD 46223, has few companions. The cluster's stellar radial density profile shows two distinctive structures: a power-law cusp around HD 46150 that extends to ~0.7 pc, surrounded by an isothermal sphere extending out to 4 pc with core radius 1.2 pc. This double structure, combined with the absence of mass segregation, indicates that this 2 Myr old cluster is not in dynamical equilibrium. (3) The fraction of X-ray-selected cluster members with K-band excesses caused by inner protoplanetary disks is 6%, slightly lower than the 10% disk fraction estimated from the FLAMINGOS study based on the NIR-selected sample. (4) X-ray luminosities for 24 stars earlier than B4 confirm the long-standing log (L_X/L_bol) ~ -7 relation. The Rosette OB X-ray spectra are soft and consistent with the standard model of small-scale shocks in the inner wind of a single massive star. This table was created by the HEASARC in July 2008 based on electronic versions of Tables 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the reference paper which were obtained from the electronic ApJ web site. This is a service provided by NASA HEASARC .

We report the results of long-slit spectroscopy at position angles 68{deg}, 131{deg}, and 164{deg} for the minor-merger NGC 4194, a luminous infrared starburst galaxy. The mass within 1.2kpc of the dynamical center is estimated to be 4.8109 to 1.71010 M{sun}, depending on the assumed inclination to the plane of the sky. The star formation rate (SFR) in the areas sampled is 8 M{sun}/yr. The metallicity, log(O/H)+12, ranges from ~8.8 to >9.0 in regions of significant star formation, suggesting that the metallicity has been enhanced by the current star formation. The star-forming regions range in age from 5 to 9Myr, with the youngest ages occurring in the regions of high SFR. Electron temperatures and the location of the spectra in emission line diagnostic diagrams suggest the presence of shock waves, presumably due to the presence of supernovae, winds from massive stars, and/or collisions of clouds due to the merger. The presence of massive stars and supernovae is consistent with the ages determined for the star-forming regions. The ages of the continua produced by the stellar population are estimated to range from 10Myr to 5Gyr. Much of the stellar population represented in the continua was probably formed before the merger and represents the progenitor galaxies.

The asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase is the final stage of nuclear burning for low-mass stars. Although Milky Way globular clusters are now known to harbour (at least) two generations of stars, they still provide relatively homogeneous samples of stars that are used to constrain stellar evolution theory. It is predicted by stellar models that the majority of cluster stars with masses around the current turn-off mass (that is, the mass of the stars that are currently leaving the main sequence phase) will evolve through the AGB phase. Here we report that all of the second-generation stars in the globular cluster NGC 6752 - 70 per cent of the cluster population - fail to reach the AGB phase. Through spectroscopic abundance measurements, we found that every AGB star in our sample has a low sodium abundance, indicating that they are exclusively first-generation stars. This implies that many clusters cannot reliably be used for star counts to test stellar evolution timescales if the AGB population is included. We have no clear explanation for this observation.