Related papers: Are pre-MS stars older than we thought?
We present an estimate of the absolute age of 68 galactic globular clusters obtained by exploiting the distribution of stars in the full color-magnitude diagram. In particular, we jointly estimate the absolute age, distance, reddening,…
Recent high-quality Hubble Space Telescope (HST) photometry shows that the main sequences (MS) stars of young star clusters form two discrete components in the color-magnitude diagram (CMD). Based on their distribution in the CMD, we show…
We have recently presented observational evidence which suggests that the origin of the second generation (G2) stars in globular clusters (GCs) is due to the binary-mediated collision of primordial (G1) low-mass main-sequence (MS) stars.…
The observation that old, massive galaxies have a larger fraction of low-mass stars than their younger, lower-mass counterparts adds to mounting evidence that star formation may have been different in the early Universe.
Star clusters are ideal tracers of star formation activity in systems outside the volume that can be studied using individual, resolved stars. These unresolved clusters span orders of magnitude in brightness and mass, and their formation is…
[ABRIDGED] The LMC star cluster system offers the unique opportunity to independently check the accuracy of age and mass determinations based on a number of complementary techniques, including isochrone analysis. Using our sophisticated…
We exploit the most robust, old, and cosmology-independent age estimates of individual stars from Gaia DR3 to place a lower bound on the age of the Universe, $t_U$. These constraints can serve as an anchor point for any cosmological model,…
M dwarfs remain active over longer timescales than their Sunlike counterparts, with potentially devastating implications for the atmospheres of their planets. However, the age at which fully-convective M dwarfs transition from active and…
The number ratios Be/(B+Be) of Be to B-type stars in young, well studied clusters of the Galaxy, the LMC and SMC are examined. In order to disentangle age and metallicity effects we choose clusters in the same age interval and for which…
This overview summarizes the age dating methods available for young sub-solar mass stars. Pre-main sequence age diagnostics include the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram, spectroscopic surface gravity indicators, and lithium depletion;…
The stellar Rotation $vs.$ Age relation is commonly considered as a useful tool to derive reliable ages for Sun-like stars. However, in the light of \kepler\ data, the presence of apparently old and fast rotators that do not obey the usual…
We report on a uniform comparative analysis of the fundamental parameters of early-type galaxies at z~1 down to a well defined magnitude limit (M_B\leq -20.0 in the field and M_B\leq -20.5 in the clusters). The changes in the M/L_B ratio…
Age is an important characteristic of a planetary system, but also one that is difficult to determine. Assuming that the host star and the planets are formed at the same time, the challenge is to determine the stellar age. Asteroseismology…
We present the results of a detailed kinematic analysis of a significant fraction of the known population of Galactic star clusters aimed at constraining the physical mechanisms driving the onset and evolution of cluster rotation. Our study…
Stars spend most of their lifetimes on the main sequence in the Hertzsprung--Russell diagram. The extended main-sequence turn-off regions -- containing stars leaving the main sequence after having spent all of the hydrogen in their cores --…
Based on a large number of observations carried out in the last decade it appears that the fraction of stars with protoplanetary disks declines steadily between ~1 Myr and ~10 Myr. We do, however, know that the multiplicity fraction of…
We present a metallicity distribution based on photometry and spectra for 442 omega Cen cluster members that lie at the main sequence turnoff region of the color-magnitude diagram. This distribution is similar to that found for the red…
We present further evidence that the magnetic chemically peculiar stars (CP2) of the upper main sequence already occur at very early stages of the stellar evolution, significantly before they reach 30% of their life-time on the main…
Oxygen and carbon are important elements in stellar populations. Their behavior refers to the formation history of the stellar populations. C and O abundances would also obviously influence stellar opacities and the overall metal abundance…
I review here recent developments which have affected our understanding of both the absolute age of globular clusters and the uncertainties in this age estimate, and comment on the implications for cosmological models. This present estimate…