STScI Preprint #1324

Massive Stars in 30 Doradus: the Next Generation

Based in part on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope obtained from the archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555

There is ample evidence for current star formation within the 30 Doradus Nebula, in and just beyond the curved nebular filaments surrounding R136. These filaments appear to be "star-forming fronts" moving into the dense dust clouds beyond. This evidence comes from the intercomparison of groundbased IR continuum, H₂, and Br observations with HST/WFPC2 narrow and broadband images of the inner 30 Doradus Nebula. Numerous heavily embedded massive stars have been discovered in or near the bright nebular filaments West and Northeast of R136, and their locations are intimately connected with bright and dark nebular structures. Optical spectral classifications of early O stars in dense nebular knots and CO data also contribute to the emerging picture, which suggests that a new stellar generation is being triggered by the energetic activity of the massive central cluster around its periphery.

Status:

Appeared in: the proceedings of Hot Stars in Open Clusters of the Galaxy and Magellanic Clouds (Revista Mexicana Astron. Astrof. Series Conf. No 8, 1999) held 1-5 December 1998 at La Plata Observatory, Argentina

Affiliations:

¹⁾ Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 12128, USA
²⁾ Member of the Carrera del Investigador Científico, CONICET, Argentina
³⁾ Observatorio Astronómico de La Plata, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
⁴⁾Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 36-D, Santiago, Chile