The Spokes Star Cluster in NGC 2264. A Catalog of the Youngest Stars
Author:
Matt YoungMentor:
Susan Terebey, Professor of Astrophysics/Astronomy, California State University Los AngelesNGC 2264 is a well known star-forming region that is located 760 parsec from the Sun. The age of the star cluster is about 3 million years and roughly 1500 members of the star cluster have been identified to-date. Observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope reveal that a new burst of star-formation is taking place in a sub-region called the Spokes cluster. Young stars are known to be enshrouded by warm dust that glows brightly at mid-infrared wavelengths. We use this signature to identify the youngest stars in the Spokes Cluster using data from the WISE and Spitzer Space Telescopes.