2004AJ....127.1460D

Images obtained with the CFHTIR camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope are used to investigate the near-infrared photometric properties of the star-forming M81 group galaxy NGC 3077. The spectral-energy distribution (SED) of the near-infrared light within 10" of the nucleus (1) is very different from that of ``typical'' dwarf elliptical galaxies (dE's), blue compact dwarf galaxies, and H II/starburst galaxies, and (2) is consistent with the 2 µm light being dominated by hot young (logt_yr<6.8) stars reddened by A_V=3-4, with A_V≥8 mag in some regions, including previously detected areas of CO emission. A population like that near the center of NGC 205 likely contributes only a modest fraction of the light near 2 µm. A number of candidate star clusters are detected in and around NGC 3077. These objects have near-infrared brightnesses and colors that are consistent with them being classical globular clusters and young star clusters. The specific frequency of globular clusters in NGC 3077 is estimated to be S_N=2.5, which falls within the range of S_Nmeasured in nearby dE's. The candidate young clusters have photometric masses that are similar to those of compact young clusters in other active star-forming systems and SEDs consistent with ages logt_yr≤6.6. Based on the masses and ages of the young clusters, it is estimated that the star formation rate in NGC 3077 was at least 0.25-0.50 M_☉/yr during the past few million years.