NGC 6611: A Cluster Caught in the Act

Our most significant result, however, is that we catch this cluster in the act of forming intermediate mass (3-8 Solar masses) stars. This is the first well-established case where large numbers of intermediate-mass stars have been seen on their way to the zero-age main sequence. That intermediate mass pre-main sequence stars are indeed present is evidenced both by their location above the zero-age main sequence in the H-R diagram, and in some cases by their spectroscopic and infrared signatures of (possibly remnant protostellar) circumstellar material.

The pre-main sequence population ranges from as young as 0.25 million years to at least 1 million years of age. We find an highly unusual number (27) of emission-line stars, which appear quite similar in their optical and infrared continuum and optical spectroscopic properties to "classical Be/Ae" stars (as opposed to Herbig Be/Ae stars). Our data are inconsistent with the traditional interpretation that these "classical Be/Ae" stars are slightly evolved stars undergoing mass loss.

Instead, we offer the conjecture that these may be young stars whose circumstellar disks have become optically thin, and produce Balmer emission lines. The infrared data do indicate a number of stars, particularly amongst the embedded sample, whose colors are consistent with those of stars thought to be surrounded by optically thick circumstellar accretion disks. The identification of such disks around young massive stars continues to be rare, and implies that the disk survival times around intermediate and high mass stars are much shorter (< 0.5Myr) than those of disks surrounding lower mass stars.