| NGC 1761 | |
|---|---|
 An image of NGC 1761 Credit: James Dunlop / John Herschel | |
| Observation data | |
| Right ascension | 04h 56m 37.7s [1] [2] |
| Declination | −66° 28′ 44″ [1] [2] |
| Absolute magnitude (V) | 9.94 [1] |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Other designations | ESO 85-18, LH 9, SL63 122, GC 980, JH 2710, (possibly Dunlop 231) [3] |
| Associations | |
| Constellation | Dorado |
NGC 1761 (also known as GC 980, JH 2710, LH 9) [3] is an open cluster in the Dorado constellation in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It encompasses a group of about 50 massive hot young stars. These stars are among the largest stars known anywhere in the Universe and appear as bright blue-white in colour. The stars in turn have given birth to new stars within dark globules. NGC 1761 is particularly noteworthy for its intense ultraviolet radiation, which has eroded a large hole in the surrounding nebular material. It is similar in structure to the more famous Rosette Nebula. [4] [5] [6]
It is part of a large region of stars called LMC-N11 (N11) which was discovered with a 23-cm telescope by the astronomer James Dunlop in 1826 and was also observed by John Herschel in 1835. [3]
