Thus, we can conclude that open clusters are young (usually a few tens of millions or hundreds of millions of years old), while globular clusters are very old (typically about 12-13 billion years old).
- How can you tell how old an open cluster is?
- How old are the oldest globular clusters?
- What is an open cluster and typically how old are these?
- Which star cluster is the youngest?
- Which cluster is the youngest and which is the oldest?
- What happens to stars in a cluster as it ages?
- How old is the 47 Tucanae star cluster?
- What is the estimated age of the universe?
- How large are open clusters?
How can you tell how old an open cluster is?
By placing the stars in a globular cluster on a Hertzprung-Russell diagram, astronomers can determine the cluster's age by looking at the main sequence turnoff point and comparing it with models of stellar evolution.
How old are the oldest globular clusters?
about 12.8 billion years A team of astronomers using the Gemini-South telescope has discovered one of the oldest stellar clusters in the Milky Way. The team's results date the globular cluster, named HP 1, at about 12.8 billion years, making its stars among the oldest ever found in our Galaxy.
What is an open cluster and typically how old are these?
They are usually less than a few hundred million years old: they become disrupted by close encounters with other clusters and clouds of gas as they orbit the galactic centre, as well as losing cluster members through internal close encounters.
Which star cluster is the youngest?
Deep Galileo (Telescopio Nazionale Galileo) B, V and I images of Segue 3, reaching V ∼ 25, reveal that it is the youngest globular cluster known so far in the Galaxy. A young age of 3.2 Gyr is found, differently from a previous estimate of 12 Gyr.
Which cluster is the youngest and which is the oldest?
From the location of the Main Sequence Turn-Off, you can see that NGC 2362 is the youngest, then h & χ Persei, and M67 is the oldest of the clusters.
What happens to stars in a cluster as it ages?
Since all the stars in a cluster formed at the same time, they are all the same age. A very young cluster will have a HR diagram with a cluster of T-Tauri stars evolving towards the main sequence. As time passes the most massive stars at the top of the main sequence evolve into red giants.
How old is the 47 Tucanae star cluster?
13.06 Gyr 47 Tucanae, or 47 Tuc (also designated NGC 104) is a globular cluster located in the constellation Tucana. It is about 4.45 ± 0.01 kpc (15,000 ± 33 ly) away from Earth, and 120 light years in diameter….
| 47 Tucanae | |
|---|---|
| Estimated age | 13.06 Gyr |
| Notable features | 2nd brightest globular cluster after Omega Centauri |
What is the estimated age of the universe?
13.77 billion years old The universe is (nearly) 14 billion years old, astronomers confirm. With looming discrepancies about the true age of the universe, scientists have taken a fresh look at the observable (expanding) universe and have estimated that it is 13.77 billion years old (plus or minus 40 million years).
How large are open clusters?
about 30,000 light-years Open clusters are strongly concentrated toward the Milky Way. They form a flattened disklike system 2,000 light-years thick, with a diameter of about 30,000 light-years. The younger clusters serve to trace the spiral arms of the Galaxy, since they are found invariably to lie in them.