Double Cluster in PerseusThe Double Cluster in
Perseus consists of two open star clusters near each other on the sky’s dome. Amateur astronomers know them as h and Chi Persei. The two clusters reside in the northern part of the constellation Perseus, quite close to the constellation
Cassiopeia the Queen. If you have a
dark sky and find Cassiopeia – which is easy, because the constellation has a distinctive M or W shape – be sure to look for Perseus, too. Then just scan between the two constellations with your binoculars for two glittering groups of stars. The Double Cluster – a breathtaking pair of
open clusters, each containing supergiant suns – will be there.These two star clusters are located about 7,640 (Chi) and 7,460 (h)
light-years away. So, they’re separated from one another by a few hundred light-years. It’s amazing that we can see these stars at all across this great span of space. Plus, we know they must be bright stars, intrinsically, or we wouldn’t be able to see them. Each cluster contains a few hundred stars, and, indeed, these stars are young, hot
supergiant suns that are many thousands of times more
luminous than our sun.Astronomers tell us that the Double Cluster lies within the Perseus arm of the
Milky Way galaxy. However, our solar system resides in the inner part of the
Orion arm. Therefore, looking at the Double Cluster, we are looking through our local spiral arm and all the way to the next spiral arm outward from the galactic center.
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