A 2.2 Micron Survey in the L1630 Molecular Cloud
Abstract
A 2.2 micron survey of a significant portion of the L1630 molecular cloud was carried out using the NOAO infrared array camera on the Kitt Peak 1.3 m telescope. This survey is estimated to be complete to 13th magnitude at K, which corresponds to a main-sequence star of about 0.6 solar mass. Therefore this survey has provided a sensitive census of the young stellar objects within this molecular cloud. As a result, 912 sources having m(K) less than 13.0 have been detected. It is estimated that 50 percent of these sources are associated with the molecular cloud. These sources are not distributed uniformly throughout the surveyed region but rather appear grouped or clustered. In fact, four embedded infrared clusters were identified. These clusters contain at least 58 percent but possibly as much as 96 percent of the total number of sources associated with this molecular cloud suggesting that the dominant mode of star formation in this region is in clusters.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- April 1991
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1991ApJ...371..171L
- Keywords:
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- Infrared Astronomy;
- Molecular Clouds;
- Star Clusters;
- Star Formation;
- Astronomical Photometry;
- Early Stars;
- Astrophysics;
- INFRARED: SOURCES;
- INTERSTELLAR: MOLECULES;
- NEBULAE: INDIVIDUAL ALPHANUMERIC: L1630 (LYNDS 1630);
- NEBULAE: INDIVIDUAL NAME: ORION B