The young cluster NGC 2282 : a multi-wavelength perspective

TL;DR

This study provides a comprehensive multi-wavelength analysis of the young cluster NGC 2282, revealing its stellar content, structure, and age, and identifying numerous young stellar objects and their properties.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed multi-wavelength characterization of NGC 2282, including stellar classification, YSO identification, and spatial distribution analysis.

Findings

Cluster radius estimated as 3.15 arcminutes.

Distance to the cluster is approximately 1.65 kpc.

Age of the cluster is between 2 and 5 million years.

Abstract

We present the analysis of the stellar content of NGC~2282, a young cluster in the Monoceros constellation, using deep optical $BVI$ and IPHAS photometry along with infrared (IR) data from UKIDSS and $Spitzer$-IRAC. Based on the stellar surface density analysis using nearest neighborhood method, the radius of the cluster is estimated as $\sim$ 3.15$\arcmin$. From optical spectroscopic analysis of 8 bright sources, we have classified three early B-type members in the cluster, which includes, HD 289120, a previously known B2V type star, a Herbig Ae/Be star (B0.5 Ve) and a B5 V star. From spectrophotometric analyses, the distance to the cluster has been estimated as $\sim$ 1.65 kpc. The $K$-band extinction map is estimated using nearest neighborhood technique, and the mean extinction within the cluster area is found to be A$_V$ $\sim$ 3.9 mag. Using IR colour-colour criteria and H$_\alpha$-emission properties, we have identified a total of 152 candidate young stellar objects (YSOs) in the region, of which, 75 are classified as Class II, 9 are Class I YSOs. Our YSO catalog also includes 50 H$_\alpha$-emission line sources, identified using slitless spectroscopy and IPHAS photometry data. Based on the optical and near-IR colour-magnitude diagram analyses, the cluster age has been estimated to be in the range of 2 $-$ 5 Myr, which is in agreement with the estimated age from disc fraction ($\sim$ 58\%). Masses of these YSOs are found to be $\sim$ 0.1$-$2.0 M$_\odot$. Spatial distribution of the candidate YSOs shows spherical morphology, more or less similar to the surface density map.