Two distinct supergiant branches in the young Large Magellanic Cloud star cluster NGC 2214

Abstract

Compelling evidence that the LMC star cluster NGC 2214 actually consists of two stellar age groups, clearly visible in the form of two well-defined supergiant branches in the CCD V, (B-V) color-magnitude diagram is presented. They are separated by about 2 mag in luminosity and have respective ages about 60 and 170 Myr or both smaller or larger depending upon the theoretical evolutionary tracks used. The spatial distribution of the stars of the two sequences indicates that the older population is more concentrated toward the cluster center while the younger shows a more extended distribution.