New detections of embedded clusters in the Galactic halo
  Until recently it was thought that high Galactic latitude clouds were a
non-star-forming ensemble. However, in a previous study we reported the
discovery of two embedded clusters (ECs) far away from the Galactic plane
($\sim5$ kpc). In our recent star cluster catalogue we provided additional high
and intermediate latitude cluster candidates. This work aims to clarify if our
previous detection of star clusters far away from the disc represents just an
episodic event or if the star cluster formation is currently a systematic
phenomenon in the Galactic halo. We analyse the nature of four clusters found
in our recent catalogue and report the discovery of three new ECs with
unusually high latitude and distance from the Galactic disc midplane. All of
these clusters are younger than 5 Myr. The high-latitude ECs C 932, C 934, and
C 939 appear to be related to a cloud complex about 5 kpc below the Galactic
disc, under the Local arm. The other clusters are above the disc, C 1074 and C
1100 with a vertical distance of $\sim3$ kpc, C 1099 with $\sim2$ kpc, and C
1101 with $\sim1.8$ kpc. According to the derived parameters there occur ECs
located below and above the disc, which is an evidence of widespread star
cluster formation throughout the Galactic halo. Thus, this study represents a
paradigm shift, in the sense that a sterile halo becomes now a host of ongoing
star formation. The origin and fate of these ECs remain open. There are two
possibilities for their origin, Galactic fountain or infall. The discovery of
ECs far from the disc suggests that the Galactic halo is more actively forming
stars than previously thought and since most ECs do not survive the
\textit{infant mortality} it may be raining stars from the halo into the disc,
and/or the halo harbours generations of stars formed in clusters like those
hereby detected.
