EntityQ921254· pop 32· linked from 413 articles

Q921254

Also known as New General Catalogue 2281, Broken Heart Cluster

open cluster in the constellation Auriga

Key facts

Right ascension: 06 48 17.(0)
Declination: +41 ° 04 ′ 4(2) ″
Distance: 1,722 +104, −91 ly ( 528 +32, −28 pc )
Apparent dimensions v: 25 ′
Estimated age: 610 million
Other designations: Cr 116, Mel 51, C 0645+411, OCL -446
Constellation: Auriga

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Distance from Earth: 558
Image: NGC 2281.jpg

Show 9 more facts

catalog code: Melotte 51
Commons category: NGC 2281
time of discovery or invention: 1788-03-04
apparent magnitude: 5.4
right ascension: 102.0708
declination: 41.0783
radial velocity: 16.2
right ascension component of proper motion: -3.69
declination component of proper motion: -7.40

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Article

NGC 2281, also known as the Broken Heart Cluster, is an open cluster of stars in the northern constellation of Auriga. It was discovered by English astronomer William Herschel on March 4, 1788, and described as a, "cluster of coarsely scattered pretty [bright] stars, pretty rich". The Trumpler class for NGC 2281 is I3p, indicating a poor (p) but compact (I) grouping with a wide range of brightness (3). It is located at a distance of approximately 1,720 ly from the Sun and is 630–661 million years old.

References