LH 95

LH 95 is a modestly sized stellar nursery in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It is related to the HII-region LHA 120-N 55, that is, a region of hydrogen ionized by the bright stars of LH 95.

LH 95
The stellar nursery LH 95, in the Large Magellanic Cloud Credit: NASA/ESA
Observation data (J200LHA 120-N 550 epoch)
Right ascension	05h 37m 04.32s[1]
Declination	−66° 22′ 00.7″
Distance	~163000 light years (~50000 parsecs (50 kpc))
Apparent magnitude (V)	11.10[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)	0.80' x 0.65'[1]
Physical characteristics
Other designations	LH 95, KMHK 1139, 2MASS J05370431-6622007[1]
Associations
Constellation	Dorado
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

Previously only young bright stars were known in this stellar association.^[2] Imaging using the Hubble Space Telescope, however, allowed the identification of more than 2,500 pre–main sequence stars with masses down to about 0.3 solar masses, thereby giving a detailed picture of what a typical stellar association in the LMC looks like.^[3]

The large sample of low-mass pre–main sequence stars, stars that are currently under formation, in LH 95 allows the construction of the first most complete Initial Mass Function of an extragalactic star forming cluster.^[4] The Initial Mass Function of LH 95 does not seem to differ from that typical for the Milky Way.

See also

• Star
• Stellar nurseries

References

1. "LH 95". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
2. Gouliermis, D.; Keller, S.C.; et al. (January 2002). "Three stellar associations and their field east of LMC 4 in the Large Magellanic Cloud". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 381 (3): 862. Bibcode:2002A&A...381..862G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20011469.
3. Gouliermis, Dimitrios A.; Henning, Thomas; Brandner, Wolfgang; Dolphin, Andrew E.; Rosa, Michael; Brandl, Bernhard (January 2007). "Discovery of the pre–main sequence population of the stellar association LH 95 in the Large Magellanic Cloud with Hubble Space Telescope ACS Observations". The Astrophysical Journal. 665 (1): L27-L30. arXiv:0706.4377. Bibcode:2007ApJ...665L..27G. doi:10.1086/521224. S2CID 16015208.
4. Da Rio, Nicola; Gouliermis, Dimitrios A.; Henning, Thomas, "The Complete Initial Mass Function Down to the Subsolar Regime in the Large Magellanic Cloud with Hubble Space Telescope ACS Observations", The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 696, Issue 1, pp. 528-545 (2009) ArXiv preprint

External links

• Large and small stars in harmonious coexistence
• The Hubble Heritage Project: LH 95
• NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Star Forming Region LH 95 (12 March 2008)