The possible origin of the faint fuzzy star clusters in NGC 1023

In the lenticular galaxy NGC 1023 a new population of star clusters (faint fuzzies'') was recently discovered by Larsen & Brodie. These clusters are found inside the disc and are faint (23 < V < 24 mag) and extended with effective radii of r_eff approx. 7 to 15 pc. We present here N-body calculations of a likely formation-scenario through merging star clusters in clusters of star clusters (super-clusters). Such super-clusters are observed to form in interacting galaxies. The resulting merger objects have masses comparable to the faint fuzzies’’ and show large effective radii (r_eff > 7 pc). Even though these objects are suffering from strong tidal forces they are able to survive and reach the estimated ages of the extended star clusters in NGC 1023.