Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have taken a very detailed image of the open cluster NGC 2660.
This Hubble image shows NGC 2660, an open cluster 8,617 light-years away in the constellation of Vela. Image credit: NASA / ESA / T. von Hippel, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University / Gladys Kober, NASA & Catholic University of America.
“Open clusters are a type of star cluster that can contain anywhere from tens to a few hundreds of stars loosely bound together by gravity,” Hubble astronomers explained.
“The stars of open clusters form out of the same region of gas and dust and thus share many characteristics, such as age and chemical composition.”
“Unlike globular clusters — their ancient, denser, and more tightly-packed cousins — open clusters are easier to study since astronomers can more easily distinguish between individual stars.”
“Their stars can be old or young, and they may disperse after a few million years into the spiral or irregular galaxies where they are born.”
NGC 2660 lies approximately 2,642 parsecs (8,617 light-years) away in the constellation of Vela.
Also known as Melotte 92 or C 0840-469, this open cluster is about 1.1 billion years old.
The object was discovered by the English astronomer John Herschel on December 29, 1834.
“Hubble observed this open cluster as part of a program to study the ages of white dwarf stars in open clusters,” the astronomers said.
“The spikes surrounding many of the stars in the new image of NGC 2660 are diffraction spikes, which occur when the glow from bright points of light reflects off of Hubble’s secondary mirror support.”
“The bright red object to the left with the very prominent diffraction spikes is a foreground star that is not part of the cluster.”
