Photometry of Magellanic Cloud clusters with the Advanced Camera for Surveys - II. The unique LMC cluster ESO 121−SC03

Abstract

We present the results of photometric measurements from images of the LMC cluster ESO 121-SC03 taken with HST/ACS. Our resulting CMD reaches 3 magnitudes below the main-sequence turn-off, representing the deepest observation of this cluster to date. We also present similar photometry from ACS imaging of the accreted Sagittarius dSph cluster Pal. 12, used in this work as a comparison cluster. From analysis of its CMD, we obtain estimates for the metallicity and reddening of ESO 121-SC03: [Fe/H] = -0.97 +/- 0.10 and E(V-I) = 0.04 +/- 0.02, in excellent agreement with previous studies. The observed horizontal branch level in ESO 121-SC03 suggests this cluster may lie 20 per cent closer to us than does the centre of the LMC. ESO 121-SC03 also possesses a significant population of blue stragglers, which we briefly discuss. Our new photometry allows us to undertake a detailed study of the age of ESO 121-SC03 relative to Pal. 12 and the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tuc. Our main result is that ESO 121-SC03 is 73 +/- 4 per cent the age of 47 Tuc, and 91 +/- 5 per cent the age of Pal. 12. Pal. 12 is 79 +/- 6 per cent as old as 47 Tuc, consistent with previous work. Our result corresponds to an absolute age for ESO 121-SC03 in the range 8.3-9.8 Gyr depending on the age assumed for 47 Tuc, therefore confirming ESO 121-SC03 as the only known cluster to lie squarely within the LMC age gap. We briefly discuss a suggestion from earlier work that ESO 121-SC03 may have been accreted into the LMC system.