LMC star clusters ages and metallicity

The total area covered is large (2/3deg^2^), allowing us to study the clusters and their fields individually and in the context of the entire Galaxy. Ages are determined by means of the magnitude difference {delta}T_1_ between the giant branch clump and the turnoff, while metallicities are derived from the location of the giant and subgiant branches as compared with fiducial star clusters.

This yields a unique data set in which ages and metallicities for both a significant sample of clusters and their fields are determined homogeneously. We find that in most cases the stellar population of each star cluster is quite similar to that of the field where it is embedded, sharing its mean age and metallicity. The old population (t>=10Gyr) is detected in most fields as a small concentration of stars on the horizontal branch blueward and faintward of the prominent clump.