Southern Astro

Adventures in backyard astronomy from the Southern hemisphere

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Open Cluster

An open, or galactic, cluster is a grouping of up to several 1000’s of stars which have formed from the same giant molecular cloud, therefore have approximately similar ages.

In contrst to globular clustrs, open vlusters are located within the galactic disc and are only loosely bound together by gravimetric attraction therefore have a more irregular shape and cluster members can be lost through iinterstellar interactons leading to ejection.

Young open clusters will still be contained within the molecular cloud from which they formed providing the energy to convert them to H11 emission nebula. This will only last until the pressure of the stellar winds is sufficient to disperse the molecular cloud – typically when approximately 10% of the cloud has coallesced into stars.

M7 20th June 2015

The second attempt at M7, this time using the RC6

June 21, 2015 in Deep Space, M7, Messier, Open Cluster.

M7 30 May 2015

Ptolemy’s Cluster (NGC6475), located in Scorpius.

May 31, 2015 in Deep Space, M7, Messier, Open Cluster.

Gallery

Full moon Aug 14 moon_2015_05_23 Cat's Paw colorised 1_M16 M20_DC HOO Obs-CEM60 20200801_155711

Current Moon Phase


Waning Gibbous Moon
Waning Gibbous Moon

The moon is currently in Capricorn
The moon is 18 days old

Distance: 61 earth radii
Ecliptic latitude: -3 degrees
Ecliptic longitude: 299 degrees
Joe's

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