The emerging timescale of young star clusters regulated by cluster stellar mass

Pedrini, Alex, Adamo, Angela, Calzetti, Daniela, Bik, Arjan, Haworth, Thomas J. and Duarte-Cabral, Ana ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5259-4774 2026. The emerging timescale of young star clusters regulated by cluster stellar mass. Nature Astronomy 10 , pp. 1179-1188. 10.1038/s41550-026-02857-y

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Abstract

Quantifying the timescales of star cluster emergence from their natal clouds remains one of the main challenges in understanding the star formation process. These timescales are fundamental measurements of the star formation cycle within galaxies, yet are difficult to constrain due to the complex interplay between stellar feedback and star formation across multiple physical scales. Here we present Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope observations of thousands of young star clusters in four nearby galaxies (M51, M83, NGC 628 and NGC 4449). A substantial fraction of these clusters are still embedded within their natal gas and remain invisible at optical wavelengths. We constrain their emergence process by measuring the timescales required to disperse the surrounding material. We find a strong correlation between dispersal timescale and cluster stellar mass, with massive clusters emerging faster than their lower-mass counterparts. This is a critical constraint on star formation and stellar feedback simulations, which struggle to fully reproduce star clusters formation and emergence. Our results emphasize the central role of massive clusters in driving the escape of ionizing radiation into the galactic medium. Finally, they impose time limitations for planet formation in massive cluster environments where disks get exposed to ultraviolet irradiation and further gas infall is halted.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Physics and Astronomy
Additional Information:	For full list of authors, please see article webpage https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-026-02857-y
Publisher:	Nature Research
ISSN:	2397-3366
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	8 May 2026
Date of Acceptance:	7 April 2026
Last Modified:	03 Sep 2026 09:42
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186883

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