Multiple stellar populations in Magellanic Cloud clusters. II. Evidence also in the young NGC1844?

A. P. Milone, L. R. Bedin, S. Cassisi, G. Piotto, J. Anderson, A. Pietrinferni, R. Buonanno

Published 2013-02-06Version 1

We use HST observations to study the LMC's young cluster NGC1844. We estimate the fraction and the mass-ratio distribution of photometric binaries and report that the main sequence presents an intrinsic breadth which can not be explained in terms of photometric errors only, and is unlikely due to differential reddening. We attempt some interpretation of this feature, including stellar rotation, binary stars, and the presence of multiple stellar populations with different age, metallicity, helium, or C+N+O abundance. Although we exclude age, helium, and C+N+O variations to be responsible of the main-sequence spread none of the other interpretations is conclusive.