Abstract

We determine, by means of a semi-empirical study, the masses of horizontal branch stars in the globular cluster M3 (NGC 5272). We used the most recent and reliable observational datasets (broadband BVI photometry) available for the cluster, both for variable and nonvariable stars, to infer the most likely masses of individual horizontal branch stars by comparison against theoretical evolutionary tracks, suitably transformed to the observational planes. We found a mass distribution that is adequately described by a Gaussian, with = 0.64 M? and s = 0.020 M?. © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.