Multiple stellar generations in massive star forming complexes

TL;DR

This paper discusses the presence of multiple stellar generations in massive star forming complexes, emphasizing the importance of multiwavelength observations to understand their structure and evolution.

Contribution

It provides an overview of observational strategies for studying multiple stellar generations in Galactic star forming complexes, with a focus on the G305 complex.

Findings

Multiple stellar generations are present in massive star forming regions.

Multiwavelength observations are essential for comprehensive stellar census.

The G305 complex exemplifies hierarchical star formation environments.

Abstract

The formation of massive stars is an outstanding problem in stellar evolution. However, it is expected that they are (predominantly) born in heirarchical environments within massive young clusters, which in turn are located within larger star forming complexes that reflect the underlying structure of the natal molecular cloud. Initial observations of such regions suggest that multiple generations of stars and proto-stars are present, necessitating a multiwavelength approach to yield a full (proto-)stellar census; in this contribution we provide an overview of just such an observational approach for Galactic examples, focusing on the G305 complex.