A sextet of clusters in the Vela OB2 region revealed by Gaia

Wright

Abstract

Using Gaia DR2 data, combined with OmegaCAM ground-based optical photometry from the AD-HOC survey, and detailed Radial Velocity measurements from ESO-Gaia, we analyse in detail a 10 ×5 deg region around the Wolf-Rayet star ?2 Vel, including the previously known clusters Gamma Vel and NGC2547. Using clustering analysis that considers positions, proper motions and parallax, we discover 6 clusters or associations – 4 of which appear new. Analysis of the colour-magnitude diagram for these clusters show that 4 of them formed coevally from the same molecular clouds 10 Myr ago, while NGC 2547 formed together with a newly discovered cluster 30 Myr ago. This study shows the incredible wealth of data provided by Gaia for the study of young stellar clusters.

Citation

Wright. (2018). A sextet of clusters in the Vela OB2 region revealed by Gaia. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/sly144

• Acceptance Date: Aug 6, 2018
• Publication Date: Aug 6, 2018
• Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/sly144
• Keywords: stars, formation, pre-main sequence, open clusters and associations
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/sly144