M36, AlBroxton

M36

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Description

Open Cluster M36 (also known as Messier Object 36, Messier 36, M36, or NGC 1960) is an open cluster in the Auriga constellation. It was discovered by Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654. M36 is at a distance of about 4,100 light years away from Earth and is about 14 light years across. There are at least sixty members in the cluster. The cluster is very similar to the Pleiades cluster (M45), and if it were the same distance from Earth it would be of similar magnitude. It has about 60 proven members, the brightest of which are of apparent Mag 9 and spectral type B2; the luminosity of the brightest member is about 360 times that of the Sun. Many of these bright stars are rapidly rotating, as shown by their broadened spectral lines, an effect which is also found for the bright type B members of the Pleiades (M45). If it were at the same distance (i.e., 10 times closer), this cluster would look as conspicuous as and very similar to the Pleiades. As it is quite young (about 25 million years), it contains no red giants, in contrast to its neighbors M37 and M38, which lie roughly at the same distance.





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Revisions

  • M36, AlBroxton
    Original
  • M36, AlBroxton
    B
  • Final
    M36, AlBroxton
    C

Histogram

M36, AlBroxton