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The VISTA (Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy) survey of the Magellanic Clouds System (VMC) is collecting deep Ks-band time-series photometry of the pulsating variable stars hosted in the system formed by the two Magellanic Clouds and the Bridge connecting them. In this paper, we have analysed a sample of 130 Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) Type II Cepheids (T2CEPs) found in tiles with complete or near-complete VMC observations for which identification and optical magnitudes were obtained from the OGLE III (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment) survey. We present J and Ks light curves for all 130 pulsators, including 41 BL Her, 62 W Vir (12 pW Vir) and 27 RV Tau variables. We complement our near-infrared photometry with the V magnitudes from the OGLE III survey, allowing us to build a variety of period-luminosity (PL), period-luminosity-colour (PLC) and period-Wesenheit (PW) relationships, including any combination of the V, J, Ks filters and valid for BL Her and W Vir classes. These relationships were calibrated in terms of the LMC distance modulus, while an independent absolute calibration of the PL(Ks) and the PW(Ks, V) was derived on the basis of distances obtained from Hubble Space Telescope parallaxes and Baade-Wesselink technique. When applied to the LMC and to the Galactic globular clusters hosting T2CEPs, these relations seem to show that (1) the two Population II standard candles RR Lyrae and T2CEPs give results in excellent agreement with each other; (2) there is a discrepancy of ~0.1?mag between Population II standard candles and classical Cepheids when the distances are gauged in a similar way for all the quoted pulsators. However, given the uncertainties, this discrepancy is within the formal 1s uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Proper motion (PM) studies are fundamental ingredients in the understanding of the orbital history of galaxies. Current measurements do not yet provide a satisfactory answer to the possible scenarios for the formation and evolution of the Magellanic Clouds and of the Bridge and Stream that link them with each other and with our Galaxy. Aims. We use multi-epoch near-infrared observations from the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Cloud system (VMC) to measure the PM of stars of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), in one tile of 1.5 deg² centred at (α, δ) = (05:59:23.136, -66:20:28.68) and including the south ecliptic pole, with respect to their Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) position over a time baseline of about 10 years. Proper motions from VMC observations only, spanning a time range of about 1 year, are also derived. Methods. Stars of different ages are selected from the colour-magnitude diagram, (J - Ks) vs. Ks, and their average coordinate displacement is computed from the difference between Ks band observations from VMC and 2MASS or among VMC data alone for stars as faint as Ks = 19 mag. Proper motions are derived by averaging up to seven 2MASS-VMC combinations in the first case and from the slope of the best-fit line among the seven VMC epochs in the second case. Separate PM values are obtained for Cepheids, RR Lyrae stars, long period variables, and eclipsing binary stars in the field. Results. The PM of ~40 000 LMC stars in the tile, with respect to ~8000 background galaxies, obtained from VMC data alone, is μα cos (δ) = +2.20 ± 0.06 (stat) ±0.29 (sys) and μδ = +1.70 ± 0.06 (stat) ±0.30 (sys) mas yr-1. This value agrees with recent ground-based determinations, but is larger than studies with the Hubble Space Telescope; this discrepancy may be due to additional systematic errors in the data. Our result implies either higher tangential motion or higher internal motion, or a combination of these, although we cannot discuss these possibilities quantitatively based on one field. The PM of the LMC is also clearly distinct from the PM derived for stars in the Milky Way foreground. The relative PM between the foreground stars and the LMC stars is ~5 masyr-1. Furthermore, we measure a decrease in the PM with increasing logarithm of stellar age for LMC stars. Conclusions. This study, based on just one VMC tile, shows the potential of the 2MASS-VMC and VMC-VMC combinations for a comprehensive investigation of PM across the Magellanic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The Magellanic system comprises the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), and the less frequently observed Magellanic Bridge and Magellanic Stream. The Bridge is traced by neutral gas and has an observed stellar component, while the Stream consists of gas only, with no observed stellar counterpart to date. Aims. This study uses catalogues created in the direction of the Bridge from 2MASS and WISE to investigate the stellar content of the Magellanic Bridge. Methods. Catalogues were created and colour-magnitude and two colour diagrams were analysed. A study was also carried out on removing the Galactic foreground population in the direction of the Magellanic Bridge, which was an important consideration due to the low stellar density within the Bridge. Results. This study finds that theMagellanic Bridge contains a candidate older stellar population in addition to the younger population already known. Conclusions. The formation of the Magellanic Bridge is likely to have occurred from a tidal event between the LMC and SMC drawing most of the material into it from the SMC. An older population in the Bridge indicates that a stellar content was drawn in during its formation together with a gas component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We calibrate spectroscopically the C- versus (vs.) M-type asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star selection made using near- IR photometry, and investigate the spatial distribution of the C/M ratio in NGC 6822, based on low resolution spectroscopy and near-IR photometry. Methods. We obtained low resolution multi-object spectroscopy with the VIMOS instrument at the ESO VLT of ∼800 stars in seven fields centred on NGC 6822. The spectroscopic classification of giant stars in NGC 6822 and foreground dwarf contaminants was made by comparing more than 500 good quality spectra with the spectroscopic atlas of Turnshek et al. (1985). The sample of spectroscopically confirmed AGB stars in NGC 6822 is divided into C- and M-rich giants to constrain the C vs. M AGB star selection criteria based on photometry. The larger near-IR photometric sample is then used to investigate the C/M ratio gradients across the galaxy. Results. We present the largest catalogue of near-IR photometry and spectra of AGB stars in NGC 6822 with 150 C-stars and 122 M-stars. Seventy-nine percent of the C-stars in our catalogue are redder than (J - K)0 = 1.2 mag, and 12% are brighter than K0 = 16.45 mag and bluer than (J - K)0 = 1.2 mag. The remaining 9% are mixed with the M-type AGB stars, 88% of which have colours (J - H)0 > 0.73 mag and (J - K)0 between 0.9 mag and 1.2 mag. The remainder are mixed with dwarfs and C-type stars. The foreground dwarfs have preferably colours (J - H)0 < 0.73 mag (95%). Using the proposed criteria, we estimate that the overall C/M ratio of the galaxy is around 0.8 with a spread between 0.2 < C/M < 1.8. These results suggest that the metallicity index [Fe/H] is between -1.2 dex and -1.3 dex according to the different calibrations and that there is a significant spread of about 0.4 / 0.6 dex.We also discuss age rather than metallicity variations that could explain the C/M ratio trends [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are major contributors to both the chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium and the integrated light of galaxies. Despite its importance, the AGB is one of the least understood phases of stellar evolution. The main difficulties associated with detailed modelling of the AGB are related to the mass-loss process and the 3rd dredge-up efficiency Aims. We provide direct measures of mass-loss rates and luminosities for a complete sample of AGB stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud, disentangling the C- and O-rich stellar populations. Methods. Dust radiative transfer models are presented for all 374 AGB stars candidates in one of the fields observed by the new VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds (VMC). Mass-loss rates, luminosities and a classification of C- and O-rich stars are derived by fitting the models to the spectral energy distribution (SED) obtained by combining VMC data with existing optical, near-, and mid-infrared photometry. Results. The classification technique is reliable at a level of - at worst - 75% and significantly better for the reddest dusty stars. We classified none of the stars with a relevant mass-loss rate as O-rich, and we can exclude the presence of more than one dusty O-rich star at a ∼94% level. The bolometric luminosity function we obtained is fully consistent with most of the literature data on the LMC and with the prediction of theoretical models, with a peak of the C-star distribution at Mbol ≃ -4.8 mag and no stars brighter than the classical AGB tip, at Mbol = -7.1 mag. Conclusions. This exploratory study shows that our method provides reliable mass-loss rates, luminosities and chemical classifications for all AGB stars. These results offer already important constraints to AGB evolutionary models. Most of our conclusions, especially for the rarer dust-enshrouded extreme AGB stars, are however strongly limited by the relatively small area covered by our study. Forthcoming VMC observations will easily remove this limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AGB stars are ideal IR targets because they are cool and bright. Most of them escaped detection in optical or shallow IR surveys in the eighties contributing to the puzzling missing number of AGB stars with respect to theoretical predictions and former stages of evolution. Observations and AGB models have advanced steadily in the following decades providing us with an almost complete view of the AGB stars in the Magellanic Clouds. Their properties are tracers of structure and chemistry across galaxies. New surveys will be able to fill-in the gaps, in terms of sensitivity and monitoring, providing new constraints for the formation and evolution of the Magellanic Clouds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first thermal–infrared spectra of an extragalactic Young Stellar Object (YSO), IRAS 05328−6827 in the H ii region LHA 120-N 148 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The observed and modelled spectral energy distribution reveals a massive YSO, , which is heavily embedded and probably still accreting. The reduced dust content as a consequence of the lower metallicity of the LMC allows a unique view into this object, and together with a high C/O ratio may be responsible for the observed low abundance of water ice and relatively high abundances of methanol and CO2 ices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The Magellanic Clouds (MCs) are the Milky Way's most massive dwarf satellites. As they also represent the closest pair of galaxies in an ongoing tidal interaction while simultaneously infalling into the Milky Way halo, they provide a unique opportunity to study in detail an ongoing three-body encounter. Aims. We present the YMCA (Yes, Magellanic Clouds Again) survey: Probing the outer regions of the Magellanic system with VST, based on deep optical photometry carried out with the VLT Survey Telescope (VST). Methods. The YMCA survey targeted 110 square degrees, in the g and i filters, in the periphery of both MCs, including a long strip in between the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The photometry of YMCA is sufficiently deep (50% complete down to g ≃ 23.5 − 24.0 mag) to allow for a detailed analysis of main-sequence stars in regions of the MCs that have remained relatively unexplored at these faint magnitudes. Results. The resulting colour–magnitude diagrams reveal that the outskirts of the MCs are predominantly characterised by intermediate-age and old stellar populations, with limited or negligible evidence of recent star formation. The analysis of the age distribution of star clusters (SCs) within the surveyed area, both already known and newly discovered candidates, hints at a close fly-by between the LMC and SMC that occurred ≃2.5 − 3.0 Gyr ago, in agreement with previous results. We also report the discovery of candidate SCs with ages within the so-called age-gap, thus questioning its real existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]