FORCAST imaging of two small nearby Clusters: The Coronet and B59

TL;DR

This study uses mid-infrared and Herschel observations to compare the physical properties and star formation activity of two nearby young clusters, the Coronet and B59, revealing differences in their evolutionary stages, temperatures, and star formation efficiencies.

Contribution

First detailed multi-wavelength imaging analysis of the Coronet and B59 clusters, providing insights into their star formation processes and physical conditions.

Findings

Coronet has higher gas density and star formation efficiency.

B59 is older with lower temperature and efficiency.

Coronet hosts intermediate-mass stars, B59 only low-mass stars.

Abstract

We present mid infrared imaging of two young clusters, the Coronet in the CrA cloud core and B59 in the Pipe Nebula, using the FORCAST camera on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. We also analyze Herschel Space Observatory PACS and SPIRE images of the associated clouds. The two clusters are at similar, and very close, distances. Star formation is ongoing in the Coronet, which hosts at least one Class 0 source and several pre-stellar cores, which may collapse and form stars. The B59 cluster is older, although it still has a few Class I sources, and is less compact. The CrA cloud has a diameter of about 0.16 pc, and we determine a dust temperature of 15.7 K and a star formation efficiency of about 27 %, while the B59 core is approximately twice as large, has a dust temperature of about 11.4 K and a star formation efficiency of about 14 %. We infer that the gas densities are much higher in the Coronet, which has also formed intermediate mass stars, while B59 has only formed low-mass stars.