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Arxiv: Discovery of metal-poor and distant pre-main sequence candidates in WLM with JWST Published: 1/28/2025 7:29:41 PM Updated: 1/28/2025 7:29:41 PM

Paper abstract: We present the discovery of twelve metal-poor and distant pre-main sequence(PMS) candidates in the dwarf irregular galaxy Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte (WLM)~968kpc away, at a present-day metallicity of [Fe/H] around -0.9. Thesecandidates have masses between 1.25-5 M_{\odot}, with ages <10 Myr, andexhibit significant near-infrared excesses at 2.5 and 4.3 \mum. They areconcentrated within a cluster roughly 10 pc (2'') across situated in the HIIregion [HM95]-9. These are the most distant and metal-poor PMS stars known, andcan offer new quantitative insights into star formation at low-metallicities.