Star clusters are groups of stars held together by their gravitational attraction. There are two main types of star clusters: globular clusters and open clusters.
Star clusters can contain hundreds or even thousands of stars. Some are small with just a few stars, while others are huge with many stars.
Star clusters are like nurseries for baby stars. They are born from huge clouds of gas and dust in space. These clouds start collapsing due to gravity, and then, stars begin to form. So, by studying star clusters, scientists can learn more about how stars are born and grow.
They are like time capsules. Scientists can study the stars in a cluster to figure out how old they are and how they change over time. They can learn about the life cycle of stars and how they evolve from being young and hot to becoming old and cool.
The Double Cluster in Perseus The Double Cluster in Perseus (NGC 869 and NGC 884) are two open clusters in the constellation Perseus. Also named Caldwell 14 or simply “The Double Cluster”, both star clusters are very similar to each other in size, magnitude, and age. This pair of open clusters lie about 7,000 light-years…
I’ve recently had a chance to review the Optolong L-Pro filter (2 types) for astrophotography from my light-polluted backyard in the city. Unlike many of the filters I used in the past, the L-Pro is suitable for both stock and astro-modified DSLR cameras (it includes a UV/IR block). I’ve always had trouble collecting images with…
I had a long, eventful night at the CCCA Observatory this past Saturday. This is a private observatory owned by my local astronomy club here in Niagara, Ontario (RASC Niagara Centre). I started packing up my astro-gear at 7:45 p.m. With the sun setting at 8:05 pm, and a 45-minute drive ahead of me, I…
M45 – The Pleiades Autumn Stars – Pleiades Rising Last Saturday I spent a very cold, but very dark and clear night at the RASC Observatory in Wellandport, Ontario. There were 4 of us that stayed the night, and I think every one of us complained about being underdressed! I began my night by shooting…