We present a study on the central stars ( CSs ) of Planetary Nebulae ( PNe ) observed in the Small Magellanic Cloud ( SMC ) with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph instrument on-board the HST .
The stellar magnitudes have been measured using broad-band photometry , and Zanstra analysis of the nebulae provided the stellar temperatures .
From the location of the CSs on the HR diagram , and by comparing the observed CSs with current models of stellar evolution , we infer the CSs masses .
We examine closely the possibility of light contamination in the bandpass from an unrecognized stellar companion , and we establish strong constraints on the existence and nature of any binary companion .
We find an average mass of 0.63 M _ { \odot } , which is similar to the mass obtained for a sample of CSs in the LMC ( 0.65 M _ { \odot } ) .
However , the SMC and LMC CS mass distributions differ slightly , the SMC sample lacking an intermediate-mass stellar population ( 0.65 to 0.75 M _ { \odot } ) .
We discuss the significance and possible reasons for the difference between the two mass distributions .
In particular , we consider the differences in the star formation history between the clouds and the mass-loss rate dependence on metallicity .