List of largest known star clusters

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Omega Centauri, one of the largest star clusters.

Below is a list of the largest known star clusters, ordered by diameter in light years, above the size of 50 light years in diameter. This list includes globular clusters, open clusters, super star clusters, and other types.

List[edit]

List of largest known star clusters
Cluster name Diameter (light-years) Type of cluster Notes
Terzan 7 316[1] Globular cluster
Messier 54 306[2]
NGC 339 238[3]
Messier 3 226[4]
Messier 11 (Wild Duck Cluster) 190[5] Open cluster
Messier 2 174.4[6] Globular cluster
Omega Centauri 172 ± 12[7] Largest globular cluster in the Milky Way.[8]
Messier 13 168[9]
Messier 15 166[10]
Palomar 5 152[11]
Messier 75 126[12]
47 Tucanae 120[13]
Messier 68 106[14]
Messier 22 100 ± 10[15] One of the first star clusters ever discovered.[16]
Messier 14 100[15]
Messier 62 98[17]
Messier 55 96[18]
NGC 265 94[19] Open cluster
Messier 69 90[20] Globular cluster
Messier 9 90[21]
Messier 56 84[22]
Messier 10 83.2[23]
NGC 3201 80[24]
Messier 107 79[25]
Messier 46 75.6[26] Open cluster
Messier 4 75[27] Globular cluster Nearest globular cluster to the Earth. Also the first globular cluster known to have exoplanets (PSR B1620-26b)
Messier 12 74.4[28]
Messier 70 68[29]
NGC 290 66[30] Open cluster
Messier 28 60[31] Globular cluster
Messier 18 52.4[32] Open cluster
The following notable star clusters are listed for the purpose of comparison.
MGC1 49 (half-light), 7,800 (tidal)[33] Globular cluster
Mayall II 42±1 (half-light), 526±25.4 (tidal)[34]
Pleiades 40.68[35] Open cluster Nearest Messier Object to Earth and the easiest to see in the night sky.
RSGC2 (Stephenson 2) 26.1[36]
Alpha Persei cluster 22.8[37]
Jewel Box 20[38]
Hyades 17.6[39] Nearest open cluster
Beehive Cluster (Praesepe) 15[40]
RSGC1 9.78 ± 1.96[41]
Westerlund 1 (Ara Cluster) 6.52[42] Super Star Cluster/Open cluster

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Terzan 7 @ seds". Retrieved 2024-02-13.
  2. ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 153 ly.
  3. ^ "Angular Size calculator". 1728.org. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  4. ^ Brosche, P.; Odenkirchen, M.; Geffert, M. (March 1999). "Instantaneous and average tidal radii of globular clusters". New Astronomy. 4 (2): 133–139. Bibcode:1999NewA....4..133B. doi:10.1016/S1384-1076(99)00014-7.
  5. ^ Santos, J. F. C. Jr.; et al. (October 2005), "Structure and stellar content analysis of the open cluster M 11 with 2MASS photometry", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 442 (1): 201–209, arXiv:astro-ph/0507216, Bibcode:2005A&A...442..201S, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20053378, S2CID 15323948.
  6. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 87.3 ly. radius
  7. ^ distance × sin(diameter_angle / 2), using distance of 5 kpc and angle 36.3′, = 86 ± 6 ly radius
  8. ^ "Omega Centauri: The Largest Globular Cluster". Universe for Facts. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  9. ^ distance × sin(diameter_angle / 2) = 84 ly radius
  10. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 88 ly radius
  11. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 76 ly. radius
  12. ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 67 ly.
  13. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 60 ly. radius
  14. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 53 ly. radius
  15. ^ a b From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 50 ly
  16. ^ Monaco, L.; Pancino, E.; Ferraro, F. R.; Bellazzini, M. (2004). "Wide-field photometry of the Galactic globular cluster M22". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 349 (4): 1278–1290. arXiv:astro-ph/0401392. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.349.1278M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07599.x. S2CID 18252633.
  17. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 49 ly. radius
  18. ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 17,600 × sin(19′/2) = 48.6 ly.
  19. ^ Nayak, P. K.; et al. (September 2018). "Star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds. II. Age-dating, classification, and spatio-temporal distribution of the SMC clusters". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 616: 24. arXiv:1804.00635. Bibcode:2018A&A...616A.187N. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201732227. S2CID 55901741. A187.
  20. ^ From trigonometry: distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 28,700 × 0.00157 = 45 ly. radius
  21. ^ Boyles, J.; Lorimer, D. R.; Turk, P. J.; Mnatsakanov, R.; Lynch, R. S.; Ransom, S. M.; Freire, P. C.; Belczynski, K. (2011-11-20). "Young Radio Pulsars in Galactic Globular Clusters". The Astrophysical Journal. 742 (1): 51. arXiv:1108.4402. Bibcode:2011ApJ...742...51B. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/742/1/51. ISSN 0004-637X.
  22. ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 32,900 × sin(8.8′/2) = 42.1 ly.
  23. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 41.6 ly. radius
  24. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 40 ly. radius
  25. ^ From trigonometry: distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 39.5 ly. radius
  26. ^ Piskunov, A. E.; Schilbach, E.; Kharchenko, N. V.; Röser, S.; Scholz, R.-D. (June 2007). "Towards absolute scales for the radii and masses of open clusters". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 468 (1): 151–161. arXiv:astro-ph/0702517. Bibcode:2007A&A...468..151P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20077073. ISSN 0004-6361.
  27. ^ Plotner, Tammy (February 22, 2016). "Messier 4 (M4) – The NGC 6121 Globular Cluster". Universe Today. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  28. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 37.2 ly radius
  29. ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 34 ly. radius
  30. ^ "Open Star Cluster NGC 290". ESA Science & Technology. April 18, 2006. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  31. ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 30 ly
  32. ^ Joshi, Y. C.; et al. (October 2016), "Study of open clusters within 1.8 kpc and understanding the Galactic structure", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 593: 13, arXiv:1606.06425, Bibcode:2016A&A...593A.116J, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201628944, S2CID 118610932, A116.
  33. ^ MacKey, A. D; Ferguson, A. M. N; Irwin, M. J; Martin, N. F; Huxor, A. P; Tanvir, N. R; Chapman, S. C; Ibata, R. A; Lewis, G. F; McConnachie, A. W (2010). "Deep Gemini/GMOS imaging of an extremely isolated globular cluster in the Local Group". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 401 (1): 533–546. arXiv:0909.1456. Bibcode:2010MNRAS.401..533M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15678.x. S2CID 53377049.
  34. ^ Ma, J.; de Grijs, R.; Chen, D.; van den Bergh, S.; Fan, Z.; Wu, Z.; Wu, H.; Zhou, X.; Wu, J.; Jiang, Z.; Chen, J. (April 2007). "Structural parameters of Mayall II = G1 in M31". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 376 (4): 1621–1629. arXiv:astro-ph/0702012. Bibcode:2007MNRAS.376.1621M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11573.x. S2CID 3591548.
  35. ^ Danilov, Vladimir M.; Seleznev, Anton F. (October 2020). "On the Motion of Stars in the Pleiades according to Gaia DR2 Data". Astrophysical Bulletin. 75 (4): 407–424. arXiv:2012.15289. Bibcode:2020AstBu..75..407D. doi:10.1134/S1990341320040045. ISSN 1990-3413.
  36. ^ Davies, B.; Figer, D. F.; Kudritzki, R. P.; MacKenty, J.; Najarro, F.; Herrero, A. (2007). "A Massive Cluster of Red Supergiants at the Base of the Scutum-Crux Arm". The Astrophysical Journal. 671 (1): 781–801. arXiv:0708.0821. Bibcode:2007ApJ...671..781D. doi:10.1086/522224. S2CID 1447781.
  37. ^ Lodieu, N.; Pérez-Garrido, A.; Smart, R. L.; Silvotti, R. (2019-08-01). "A 5D view of the α Per, Pleiades, and Praesepe clusters". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 628: A66. arXiv:1906.03924. Bibcode:2019A&A...628A..66L. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201935533. ISSN 0004-6361.
  38. ^ "Jewel Box Cluster". constellation-guide.com. January 31, 2015.
  39. ^ Perryman, M. A. C.; Brown, A. G. A.; Lebreton, Y.; Gomez, A.; Turon, C.; de Strobel, G. Cayrel; Mermilliod, J. C.; Robichon, N.; Kovalevsky, J. (1998), "The Hyades: distance, structure, dynamics, and age", Astron.astrophys., 331: 81, arXiv:astro-ph/9707253, Bibcode:1998A&A...331...81P
  40. ^ "The Beehive Cluster". BBC Sky at Night Magazine. July 19, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  41. ^ Davies, B.; Figer, D. F.; Law, C. J.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Najarro, F.; Herrero, A.; MacKenty, J. W. (2008). "The Cool Supergiant Population of the Massive Young Star Cluster RSGC1". The Astrophysical Journal. 676 (2): 1016–1028. arXiv:0711.4757. Bibcode:2008ApJ...676.1016D. doi:10.1086/527350. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 15639297.
  42. ^ Portegies Zwart, Simon F.; McMillan, Stephen L.W.; Gieles, Mark (2010). "Young Massive Star Clusters". Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 48: 431–493. arXiv:1002.1961. Bibcode:2010ARA&A..48..431P. doi:10.1146/annurev-astro-081309-130834. S2CID 119207843.
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