Table · dataset · 2025
Stellar evolution in NGC 663
Listed in IVOA Registry (Virtual Observatory)
Massive young clusters with rich populations of high-mass stars are ideal laboratories to explore their evolutionary paths.
Description
Despite being the most prominent cluster in the Perseus-arm Cas OB8 association, NGC 663 remains comparatively little studied. We present a comprehensive investigation of its properties, integrating astrometric, photometric, and spectroscopic data for the cluster and its surroundings, including accurate spectral classification for over 150 members.
Gaia astrometry indicates over 300 B-type members, possibly rendering NGC 663 the most massive cluster in the Perseus arm, with initial mass likely exceeding 10^4^M_{sun}_. This large population makes NGC 663 an excellent laboratory for studying massive star evolution. Spectral analysis of the earliest members reveals approximately solar metallicity and a turn-off mass of ~8.5M_{sun}_, consistent with the photometric age of 23Ma.
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We identify five spectroscopic blue stragglers, including the Be/X-ray binary RX J0146.9+6121. We outline its evolutionary history and compare its properties with other Be stars. Although the cluster contains many Be stars, their relative fraction is not particularly high.
Intriguingly, four of the six blue supergiant members appear to have significantly higher masses than the brightest giants near the Hertzsprung gap. These observations suggest that most mid-B supergiants may form via mergers, unless stars of 10-12M_{sun}_ born as primaries in binaries rarely undergo supernova explosions. Similarly, if Be stars form through the binary channel, then either most are produced through case A evolution or supernovae are uncommon among primaries in this mass range.
Links
Where it is published
- Reference page cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/MNRAS/542/703 ↗
landing page · from IVOA Registry
Documentation and papers
- ADS 2025MNRAS.542..703M ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025MNRAS.542..703M ↗
publication · from IVOA Registry
Catalogue records · 2
- VOResource record dc.g-vo.org/oai.xml?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=ivo_vor&identifier=ivo%3… ↗
metadata API · from IVOA Registry
- Registry record (GAVO) dc.g-vo.org/I/cds.vizier/j/mnras/542/703 ↗
catalogue entry · from IVOA Registry
Topics
- From keywords
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- Inferred from text
- Astronomical sciences 71%
Provenance · 1 source records, 10 field assertions
| Source | Key | Last seen | Raw |
|---|---|---|---|
| IVOA Registry (Virtual Observatory) | ivo://cds.vizier/j/mnras/542/703 | 11 d ago | JSON v1 |
| Field | Assertion | Extractor | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| access_level | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].anzsrc:group:5101 | enrichment · IVOA Registry | taxonomy-embedding@1.1.0 | title+keywords+description (71%) |
| concepts[field].local:field:astronomy | mapping · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[modality].ivoa_waveband:infrared | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[modality].ivoa_waveband:optical | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| description | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | rr.resource.res_description |
| license_text | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| publication_date | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| title | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | rr.resource.res_title |
| updated_date | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 |