Dissecting the galactic super star cluster Westerlund 1 - a laboratory for stellar evolution

Clark, Simon; Negueruela, Ignacio; Ritchie, Ben; Crowther, Paul and Dougherty, Sean (2010). Dissecting the galactic super star cluster Westerlund 1 - a laboratory for stellar evolution. ESO Messenger(142) pp. 31–35.

URL: http://www.eso.org/sci/publications/messenger/

Abstract

Westerlund 1 is the first example of a super star cluster identified within the Galaxy. As such, its proximity allows us to resolve directly and study individual stars down to sub-solar masses, as well as their complex interactions. This in turn permits advances in our understanding of the physics of these stellar powerhouses, which drive evolution in starburst galaxies near and far. Here we provide a brief overview of our current understanding of this cluster, both in terms of its stellar constituents — and the constraints they place on the evolution of massive stars from cradle to grave — and its global properties.

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