Probing the formation of intermediate- to high-mass stars in protoclusters

Abstract

Aims.The earliest phases of massive star formation in clusters are still poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis for high-mass star formation proposed in our earlier paper (Peretto et al. 2006) stating that a massive, ultra-dense core may be currently forming at the center of the collapsing NGC 2264-C protocluster via the gravitational coalescence of several intermediate-mass Class 0 objects.