X-ray and optical spectroscopy of the massive young open cluster IC 1805

Context. Very young open clusters are ideal places to study the X-ray properties of a homogeneous population of early-type stars. In this respect, the IC 1805 open cluster is very interesting as it hosts the O4 If(+) star HD 15570 thought to be in an evolutionary stage intermediate between a normal O-star and a Wolf-Rayet star. Aims. Such a star could provide a test for theoretical models aiming at explaining the empirical scaling relation between the X-ray and bolometric luminosities of O-type stars. Methods. We have observed IC 1805 with XMM-Newton and further collected optical spectroscopy of some of the O-star members of the cluster. Results. The optical spectra allow us to revisit the orbital solutions of BD + 60 degrees 497 and HD 15558, and provide the first evidence of binarity for BD + 60 degrees 498. X-ray emission from colliding winds does not appear to play an important role among the O-stars of IC 1805. Notably, the X-ray fluxes do not vary significantly between archival X-ray observations and our XMM-Newton pointing. The very fast rotator BD + 60 degrees 513, and to a lesser extent the O4 If(+) star HD 15570 appear somewhat underluminous. Whilst the underluminosity of HD 15570 is only marginally significant, its amplitude is found to be compatible with theoretical expectations based on its stellar and wind properties. A number of other X-ray sources are detected in the field, and the brightest objects, many of which are likely low-mass pre-main sequence stars, are analyzed in detail.