Based on color-magnitude diagrams ( CMDs ) from the Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project ( HTTP ) survey , we present the star formation history ( SFH ) of Hodge 301 , the oldest star cluster in the Tarantula Nebula .
The HTTP photometry extends faint enough to reach , for the first time , the cluster pre-main sequence ( PMS ) turn-on , where the PMS joins the main sequence .
Using the location of this feature , along with synthetic CMDs generated with the latest PARSEC models , we find that Hodge 301 is older than previously thought , with an age between 26.5 and 31.5 Myr .
From this age , we also estimate that between 38 and 61 supernovae Type-II exploded in the region .
The same age is derived from the main sequence turn-off , whereas the age derived from the post-main sequence stars is younger and between 20 and 25 Myr .
Other relevant parameters are a total stellar mass of \approx 8800 \pm 800 M _ { \odot } and average reddening E ( B - V ) \approx 0.22 - 0.24 mag , with a differential reddening \delta E ( B - V ) \approx 0.04 mag .