Spitzer observations of NGC 2362

The archival mid-infrared data were merged with extant Halpha emission data, optical and near-infrared photometry, and moderate-resolution optical spectroscopy to identify the remnant disk-bearing population of the cluster and to estimate the fraction of stars that still retain primordial circumstellar disks.

The principal sample of 232 suspected cluster members with masses ranging from ~10 to 0.3M_{sun}_ (B2-M5 spectral types) was drawn from known Halpha emission stars, X-ray-detected stars from a single 100ks archival Chandra observation, and established lithium-rich stars. A second sample of 153 stars over a similar mass range whose membership status was based on optical photometry alone was also examined.