We present B , V , R , and H \alpha photometry of 8 clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud , 5 in the Large Magellanic Cloud , and 3 Galactic clusters , and use 2 color diagrams ( 2-CDs ) to identify candidate Be star populations in these clusters .
We find evidence that the Be phenomenon is enhanced in low metallicity environments , based on the observed fractional early-type candidate Be star content of clusters of age 10-25 Myr .
Numerous candidate Be stars of spectral types B0 to B5 were identified in clusters of age 5-8 Myr , challenging the suggestion of Fabregat & Torrejon ( 9 ) that classical Be stars should only be found in clusters at least 10 Myr old .
These results suggest that a significant number of B-type stars must emerge onto the zero-age-main-sequence as rapid rotators .
We also detect an enhancement in the fractional content of early-type candidate Be stars in clusters of age 10-25 Myr , suggesting that the Be phenomenon does become more prevalent with evolutionary age .
We briefly discuss the mechanisms which might contribute to such an evolutionary effect .
A discussion of the limitations of utilizing the 2-CD technique to investigate the role evolutionary age and/or metallicity play in the development of the Be phenomenon is offered , and we provide evidence that other B-type objects of very different nature , such as candidate Herbig Ae/Be stars may contaminate the claimed detections of “ Be stars ” via 2-CDs .