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The star-forming complex LMC-N79 as a future rival to 30 Doradus

Nature Astronomy volume 1, pages 784–790 (2017)Cite this article

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Abstract

Within the early Universe, ‘extreme’ star formation may have been the norm rather than the exception1,2. Super star clusters (with masses greater than 105 solar masses) are thought to be the modern-day analogues of globular clusters, relics of a cosmic time (redshift z ≳ 2) when the Universe was filled with vigorously star-forming systems3. The giant H ii region 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud is often regarded as a benchmark for studies of extreme star formation4. Here, we report the discovery of a massive embedded star-forming complex spanning about 500 pc in the unexplored southwest region of the Large Magellanic Cloud, which manifests itself as a younger, embedded twin of 30 Doradus. Previously known as N79, this region has a star-formation efficiency greater than that of 30 Doradus, by a factor of about 2, as measured over the past ~0.5 Myr. Moreover, at the heart of N79 lies the most luminous infrared compact source discovered with large-scale infrared surveys of the Large Magellanic Cloud and Milky Way, possibly a precursor to the central super star cluster of 30 Doradus, R136. The discovery of a nearby candidate super star cluster may provide invaluable information to understand how extreme star formation proceeds in the current and high-redshift Universe.

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Fig. 1: Large-scale structure of the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Fig. 2: Dissecting N79.
Fig. 3: The most luminous component of N79, H72.97-69.39.
Fig. 4: Star-formation properties of N79 versus N11 and 30 Doradus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

    Bram B. Ochsendorf, Omnarayani Nayak, Margaret Meixner & Mubdi Rahman

  2. Deutsches SOFIA Institut (DSI), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 29, D-70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Hans Zinnecker

  3. Universidad Autonoma de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile

    Hans Zinnecker

  4. Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Colorado, UCB 389 Boulder, CO, 80309, USA

    John Bally

  5. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

    Margaret Meixner & Olivia C. Jones

  6. Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, PO 400325, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA

    Remy Indebetouw

  7. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Rd, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA

    Remy Indebetouw

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  1. Bram B. Ochsendorf
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Contributions

B.B.O. performed the analysis, coordinated collaboration and wrote the manuscript. O.N. helped in characterizing H72.97-69.39. M.M. and O.C.J. helped with the creation of the MYSO catalogue and estimates of source contamination. H.Z., J.B., R.I. and M.R. provided help with the interpretation of the results and implications.

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Correspondence to Bram B. Ochsendorf.

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Ochsendorf, B.B., Zinnecker, H., Nayak, O. et al. The star-forming complex LMC-N79 as a future rival to 30 Doradus. Nat Astron 1, 784–790 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-017-0268-0

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