Introduction

The VISCACHA project is a photometric survey specifically designed for star clusters in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds. It is known that there were tidal interactions between the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds which formed the Magellanic Bridge and the Magellanic Stream, for example. The stellar counterpart of these gas structures can be studied by means of their star clusters.

We have classified the SMC clusters in four groups: main body, windg/bridge, counter-bridge, and west halo. Each of them is related to a tidal interaction with LMC and possibly with the Milky Way. The star clusters provide constraints on these scenarios.

Star clusters on the outskirts of the LMC have been systematically observed by our team and we found that the structural parameters correlate with the distance from the LMC centre. The correlations also constrain the tidal interaction of the Clouds.

"Tapi'i Hugua" and "Coxi Hugua" are the tupi-guarani version of Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, respectively. The translation means "Tapir's water supply (or lake)" and "Musk hog's water supply (or lake)". Read here a text by João Francisco C. dos Santos Jr. about the name of the Magellanic Clouds.

Financial support

Research grants

  • [BRAZIL, 2021-2025] Universal CNPq/MCRI/FNDCT. Projeto VISCACHA: desvendando a evolução química e dinâmica na periferia das Nuvens de Magalhães, No.404482/2021-0
  • [CHILE, 2022-2025] ANID-Fondecty Iniciación, SCARLET (SmC stAR cLustEr hisTory with VISCACHA) project No. 11221366 (PI, Bruno Dias)
  • [CHILE, 2021-2026] Centro de Excelencia de Astrofísica y Ciencias Afines (CATA), ANID-Basal No. FB210003: researchers Dante Minniti, Bruno Dias, student Saroon Sasi

Funding for events

  • [2025] VI VISCACHA Meeting (Observatório Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): ON, FAPERJ, CNPq
  • [2024] V VISCACHA & Friends Meeting (Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile): ULS, ANID-FONDECYT, CNPq
  • [2023] IV VISCACHA Meeting (Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, Brazil): UFABC, FAPESP, CNPq
  • [2022] III VISCACHA Meeting (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil): UFMG, FAPEMIG, CNPq
  • [2021] II VISCACHA Meeting (Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil): UESC, FAPESP, CNPq
  • [2018] I VISCACHA Meeting (Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil): IAG/USP, FAPESP, CNPq

Contact

viscacha.project [at] gmail.com