# Observational hints of a real age spread in the young LMC star cluster NGC 1971

## TL;DR

This study presents evidence that the young LMC star cluster NGC 1971 has an extended main-sequence turnoff indicating a likely real age spread of about 170 million years, after accounting for observational and stellar effects.

## Contribution

It provides observational evidence of a genuine age spread in a young star cluster, using photometry and CMD analysis to distinguish it from other effects.

## Key findings

- Estimated age spread of ~170 Myr in NGC 1971
- Extended main-sequence turnoff observed in the cluster
- Age range of 100-280 Myr after corrections

## Abstract

We report the serendipitous young Large Magellanic Cloud cluster, NGC 1971, exhibits an extended main-sequence turnoff (eMSTO) possibly originated by mostly a real age spread. We used CT1 Washington photometry to produce a colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) with the fiducial cluster features. From its eMSTO, we estimated an age spread of ~ 170 Myr (observed age range 100-280 Myr), once observational errors, stellar binarity, overall metalicity variations and stellar rotation effects were subtracted in quadrature from the observed age width.