| IC 2395 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Vela |
| Right ascension | 08h 42m 31s [1] |
| Declination | −48° 06′ 00″ [1] |
| Distance | 2,300 ly (705 pc [2] ) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.6 [1] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 8' |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass | 176 [3] M☉ |
| Estimated age | 17 million years [2] |
| Other designations | Cr 192, vdBH 47 |
IC 2395 is an open cluster in the constellation Vela.
It is possible that entry III.3 of the catalogue of Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, often listed as missing, is IC 2395. According to Lacaille's entry, the object consists of a "Star of 6th magnitude, connected to another more southern one by a nebulous trace", and gives the coordinates RA=08:42.2, Dec=-48:04. [4] These coordinates are 2' west and 1' south of the location of van den Bergh-Hagen 47 according to Sky Catalogue 2000.0, which is within the cluster's diameter. [5] Lacaille observed it on February 17, 1752. [6]
The cluster was discovered independently in 1908 by Solon Irving Bailey. Sidney van den Bergh and Gretchen Luft Hagen catalogued also this cluster in 1975. The coordinates of vdBH 47 are in fair agreement with the coordinates of IC 2395, although because Lund placed IC 2395 in an inaccurate position, Sky Catalogue 2000.0, Deep Sky Field Guide and the first edition of Uranometria list two different clusters. [6] The fact that they are the same cluster is also supported by Clariá et al. who estimated its angular diameter at 19 arcminutes. [7]
IC 2395 is an open cluster of poor to moderate richness. 45 stars located within the central part of the cluster are considered to be possible members. The radius core radius of the cluster is 0.53 parsecs (1.6 light years), while the tidal radius is 4.5 - 7.9 [3] parsecs (15 - 26 light years) and represents the average outer limit of IC 2395, beyond which a star is unlikely to remain gravitationally bound to the cluster core. [8] IC 2395 is a young stellar cluster being between 6 [7] and 18 [8] million years old. Based on its young age and distance, it is possible that IC 2395 is part of the Vela OB1C stellar association. [7]
The brightest member of the cluster has mag 5.53, and its bluest main sequence star is of spectral type B5. [6] One of the members of the cluster is a candidate Be star. [9] One member, HD 74339 (mag. 9.3, spectral type B2/3 II/III), is a beta Cephei variable. [10]
Messier 21 or M21, also designated NGC 6531, is an open cluster of stars in the constellation of Sagittarius. It was discovered and catalogued by Charles Messier on June 5, 1764. This cluster is relatively young and tightly packed. A few blue giant stars have been identified in the cluster, but Messier 21 is composed mainly of small dim stars. With a magnitude of 6.5, M21 is not visible to the naked eye; however, with the smallest binoculars it can be easily spotted on a dark night. The cluster is positioned near the Trifid nebula, but is not associated with that nebulosity. It forms part of the Sagittarius OB1 association.
Messier 26, also known as NGC 6694, is an open cluster of stars in the southern constellation of Scutum. It was discovered by Charles Messier on June 20, 1764. This 8th magnitude cluster is a challenge to find with typical binoculars, but can be spotted with an 80mm aperture. It is positioned near the open cluster Messier 11 and is 14′ across. About 25 stars are visible in a telescope with a 150–200 mm (6–8 in) aperture.
Messier 29 or M 29, also known as NGC 6913, is an open cluster of stars in the Cygnus constellation. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764, and can be seen from Earth by using binoculars.
Messier 18 or M18, also designated NGC 6613, is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764 and included in his list of comet-like objects. From the perspective of Earth, M18 is situated between the Omega Nebula (M17) and the Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24).
Messier 69 or M69, also known NGC 6637, is a globular cluster in the southern constellation of Sagittarius. It can be found 2.5° to the northeast of the star Epsilon Sagittarii and is dimly visible in 50 mm aperture binoculars. The cluster was discovered by Charles Messier on August 31, 1780, the same night he discovered M70. At the time, he was searching for an object described by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1751–2 and thought he had rediscovered it, but it is unclear if Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille actually described M69.
Messier 93 or M93, also known as NGC 2447, is an open cluster in the constellation Puppis. It was discovered by Charles Messier then added to his catalogue of comet-like objects on March 20, 1781. Caroline Herschel, the younger sister of William Herschel, independently discovered M93 in 1783, thinking it had not yet been catalogued by Messier. Walter Scott Houston described its appearance as follows:
Some observers mention the cluster as having the shape of a starfish. With a fair-sized telescope, this is its appearance on a dull night, but [a four-inch refractor] shows it as a typical star-studded galactic cluster.
NGC 3293 is an open cluster in the Carina constellation. It was discovered by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1751. It consists of more than 100 stars brighter than 14th magnitude in a 10 arc minute field, the brightest of which are blue supergiants of apparent magnitude 6.5 and 6.7. There is also a 7th magnitude pulsating red supergiant, V361 Carinae.
V4381 Sagittarii is a variable star in the constellation Sagittarius. A white supergiant of spectral type A2/A3Iab, it is an Alpha Cygni variable that varies between apparent photographic magnitudes 6.57 and 6.62. Its visual apparent magnitude is about 6.54.
NGC 6281 is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Scorpius. It was not included in the Messier or Caldwell catalogues of nebulous objects, but it is the brightest such cluster in the constellation to be left out of both. It is readily observed with the naked eye; it is located about 2° to the east of Mu Scorpii. James Dunlop described the cluster as a "curiously curved line of pretty bright stars, with many stars mixt". John Herschel then described the cluster as both "pretty bright" and "pretty rich".
NGC 2439 is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Puppis. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.9, an angular size of 10 arcminutes and is visible using a small telescope. This cluster is about 3.855 kpc from the Solar System and has an age of about 10 million years. Observationally, this cluster is along the line of sight of two groups of B-type supergiant stars. The nearer group is located at a distance of 1.03 kpc, while the second group is at 3.2 kpc.
NGC 2539 is an open cluster in the constellation Puppis, located at the north edge of the constellation. It was discovered by William Herschel on January 31, 1785. It is a moderately rich cluster and with little central concentration, with Trumpler class II1m.
NGC 5662 is an open cluster in the constellation Centaurus. It was discovered by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille on May 17, 1752 from South Africa. James Dunlop observed it on July 10, 1826 from Parramatta, Australia and added it to his catalog as No. 342.
NGC 3228 is an open cluster in Vela. It was discovered by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751–1752, while he was in South Africa and catalogued it as Lac II.7. It is small but bright and can be observed easily with binoculars in sufficiently dark skies.
NGC 5281 is an open cluster in the constellation Centaurus. It was discovered by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751-1752 from South Africa, and catalogued it as Lacaille I.7. NGC 5281 is located three and a quarter degrees southwest of Beta Centauri. Under dark skies, it is bright enough to be spotted with naked eye, appearing as a 6th magnitude star.
NGC 4349 is an open cluster in the constellation Crux. It was discovered by James Dunlop in 1826. It is located approximately 7,000 light years away from Earth.
NGC 4103 is an open cluster in the constellation Crux. It was discovered by James Dunlop in 1826. It is located approximately 5,000 light years away from Earth, in the Carina-Sagittarius arm.
IC 2488 is an open cluster in the constellation Vela. It was discovered by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1752. It is located approximately 3,700 light years away from Earth.
IC 2714 is an open cluster in the constellation Carina. It was discovered by James Dunlop in 1826. It is located approximately 4,000 light years away from Earth, in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm.
NGC 7160 is an open cluster in the constellation Cepheus. It was discovered by William Herschel on November 9, 1789. The cluster was also observed by John Herschel on October 7, 1829. It is a poor cluster and with little central concentration, with Trumpler class II3p. It is part of the stellar association Cepheus OB2, located one degree south-southwest of VV Cephei.
NGC 6910 is an open cluster in the constellation Cygnus. It was discovered by William Herschel on October 17, 1786. The cluster was also observed by John Herschel on September 18, 1828. It is a poor cluster and with prominent central concentration, with Trumpler class I2p. NGC 6910 is the core cluster of the stellar association Cygnus OB9.
