NGC 2362
The cluster is located at a distance of approximately 1.48 kpc from the Sun, and appears associated with the giant nebula Sh2-310 that lies at the same distance, about one degree to the east. This giant H II region is being ionized by the brighter members of the NGC 2362 cluster.
NGC 2362 is a relatively young 4–5 million years in age but is devoid of star-forming gas and dust, indicating that the star formation process has come to a halt. It is a massive open cluster, with more than 500 solar masses, an estimated 100-150 member stars, and an additional 500 forming a halo around the cluster. Of these cluster members, only around 35 show evidence of a debris disk. There is one slightly evolved O-type star, Tau Canis Majoris, and around 40 B-type stars still on the main sequence. Only one candidate classical Be star has been found, as of 2005.
Gallery
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NGC 2362 image created as part of the ESO Cosmic Gems programme.
References
- ^ Wu, Zhen-Yu; et al. (November 2009), "The orbits of open clusters in the Galaxy", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 399 (4): 2146–2164, arXiv:0909.3737, Bibcode:2009MNRAS.399.2146W, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15416.x, S2CID 6066790
- ^ Finlay, Warren H. (2014), Concise Catalog of Deep-sky Objects, The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series (2nd ed.), Springer Science & Business Media, p. 207, ISBN 978-3-319-03169-9.
- ^ Currie, Thayne; et al. (June 2009). "The Last Gasp of Gas Giant Planet Formation: A Spitzer Study of the 5 Myr Old Cluster NGC 2362". The Astrophysical Journal. 698 (1): 1–27. arXiv:0903.2666. Bibcode:2009ApJ...698....1C. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/698/1/1. S2CID 9207187.
- ^ Dahm, S. E. (December 2008). "NGC 2362: The Terminus of Star Formation". In Reipurth, Bo (ed.). Handbook of Star Forming Regions: volume II, The Southern Sky. ASP Monograph Publications. Vol. 5. p. 26. arXiv:0808.3815. Bibcode:2008hsf2.book...26D.
- ^ "NGC 2362 -- Open (galactic) Cluster". SIMBAD. Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
- ^ O'Meara, Stephen James (September 26, 2016). Deep Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects. Sky Publishing Corporation. p. 298. ISBN 9781316033531.
- ^ Lada, C. J.; Reid, M. J. (January 1978). "CO observations of a molecular cloud complex associated with the bright rim near VY Canis Majoris". Astrophysical Journal. 219: 95–97, 99–104. Bibcode:1978ApJ...219...95L. doi:10.1086/155758.
- ^ "Starshine in Canis Major". www.eso.org. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- "NGC 2362". SEDS Online NGC Catalogue. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
- NGC 2362 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images