Star Clusters M35 and NGC 2158
Explanation:
Clusters of stars can be near or far, young or old, diffuse or compact.
The
featured
image
shows two quite contrasting
open star clusters
in the same field.
M35,
on the lower left, is relatively nearby at 2800
light years distant, relatively young at 150 million years old,
and relatively diffuse, with about 2500 stars spread out over a
volume 30 light years across.
Bright blue stars frequently
distinguish younger open clusters like M35.
Contrastingly,
NGC 2158,
on the upper right, is four times more distant than
M35,
over 10 times older, and much more compact.
NGC 2158's bright blue stars have
self-destructed,
leaving cluster light to be dominated by
older and yellower stars.
In general, open star clusters are found in the plane of
our Milky Way Galaxy, and contain anywhere from 100 to 10,000 stars --
all of which formed at nearly the same time.
Both open clusters M35 and NGC 2158 can be
found together with a small telescope
toward the constellation of the Twins
(Gemini).
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
