posted on 2023-05-25, 22:46authored byCole, AA, Weinberg, MD
Using data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, we identify a population of infrared carbon stars with J-Ks ‚Äöv¢‚Ä¢ 2 in the Milky Way. These stars are shown to trace the stellar bar previously identified in IR and optical S surveys. The properties of C stars strongly suggest that they are of intermediate age. We conclude that the bar is likely to have formed more recently than 3 Gyr ago and must be younger than 6 Gyr. Implications and further tests of this conclusion are briefly discussed