Posted on 04/30/2022 2:30:48 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: A mere 600 light-years away, M44 is one of the closest star clusters to our solar system. Also known as the Praesepe or the Beehive cluster its stars are young though, about 600 million years old compared to our Sun's 4.5 billion years. Based on similar ages and motion through space, M44 and the even closer Hyades star cluster in Taurus are thought to have been born together in the same large molecular cloud. An open cluster spanning some 15 light-years, M44 holds 1,000 stars or so and covers about 3 full moons (1.5 degrees) on the sky in the constellation Cancer. Visible to the unaided eye, M44 has been recognized since antiquity. Described as a faint cloud or celestial mist long before being included as the 44th entry in Charles Messier's 18th century catalog, the cluster was not resolved into its individual stars until telescopes were available. A popular target for modern, binocular-equipped sky gazers, the cluster's few yellowish tinted, cool, red giants are scattered through the field of its brighter hot blue main sequence stars in this telescopic group snapshot. Dramatic diffraction spikes highlighting the brighter cluster members were created with string crossed in front of the telescope's objective lens.
(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
Black Hole Image Makes History; NASA Telescopes Coordinated Observations
Imagine sitting on your back porch at night on a planet 20-30 light-years from a 1000 star cluster only 15 light-years across. What a view! Might not need outdoor lights at night if you were close enough.
“Clarence, you do a good job with George Bailey and you’ll get your wings.”
Waiting to see what that Webb telescope can see.
It would be spectacular!
Can you please explain to me just how you know the age of these stars or any star for that matter?
Because you believe they are doesn’t mean it’s true...
Red Giants and Blue Giants?
Politics is EVERYWHERE!................
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