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We present a new study of the spatial distribution and ages of the starclusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). To detect and estimate the agesof the star clusters we rely on the new fully-automated method developed byBitsakis et al. (2017). Our code detects 1319 star clusters in the central 18deg$^{2}$ of the SMC we surveyed (1108 of which have never been reportedbefore). The age distribution of those clusters suggests enhanced clusterformation around 240 Myr ago. It also implies significant differences in thecluster distribution of the bar with respect to the rest of the galaxy, withthe younger clusters being predominantly located in the bar. Having used thesame set-up, and data from the same surveys as for our previous study of theLMC, we are able to robustly compare the cluster properties between the twogalaxies. Our results suggest that the bulk of the clusters in both galaxieswere formed approximately 300 Myr ago, probably during a direct collisionbetween the two galaxies. On the other hand, the locations of the young($\le$50 Myr) clusters in both Magellanic Clouds, found where their bars jointhe HI arms, suggest that cluster formation in those regions is a result ofinternal dynamical processes. Finally, we discuss the potential causes of theapparent outside-in quenching of cluster formation that we observe in the SMC.Our findings are consistent with an evolutionary scheme where the interactionsbetween the Magellanic Clouds constitute the major mechanism driving theiroverall evolution.

The distribution and ages of star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud: Constraints on the interaction history of the Magellanic Clouds