| NGC 2004 | |
|---|---|
Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 2004 | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Right ascension | 05h 30m 41.340s |
| Declination | −67° 17′ 21.83″ |
| Distance | 163.1 ± 0.3 ly (50 ± 0.1 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.6 |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 3.0' × 2.8' |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass | ~2.3×104 M☉ |
| Estimated age | 20 Ma |
| Other designations | NGC 2004, ESO 86-SC4 |
| Associations | |
| Constellation | Dorado |
NGC 2004 (also known as ESO 86-SC4) is an open cluster of stars in the southern constellation of Dorado. It was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop on September 24, 1826. This is a young, massive cluster with an age of about 20 million years and 23,000 times the mass of the Sun. It has a core radius of 2.85 ± 0.46 pc (9.3 ± 1.5 ly). NGC 2004 is a member of the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.