The Distribution of Young Stars in Nearby Galaxies

Abstract

Although luminous stars are relatively rare, they can potentially be studied out to large distances. In our own Milky Way, this advantage is offset by obscuration due to dust in the plane of the Galaxy. In addition, distances to these individual stars are extremely difficult to determine. The study of external galaxies allows a panoramic view of the system and its individually brightest stars which are all at a common distance. The spatial distribution of star forming regions is immediately apparent, and the effects of obscuration are minimized. Nearby resolved galaxies therefore provide a rich resource for examining the properties of the intrinsically brightest stars and their relation to other components of the galaxy.