NGC 376

NGC 376
Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 376
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension01h 03m 50.21s
Declination−72° 49′ 33.5″
Apparent magnitude (V)10.90
Physical characteristics
Mass3,400±400 M☉
Estimated age28±7 Myr
Other designationsESO 029-SC 029.
Associations
ConstellationTucana
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

NGC 376 is a young open cluster of stars in the southern constellation of Tucana. It was discovered on September 2, 1826, by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. Dreyer, a Danish/British astronomer, described it as a "globular cluster, bright, small, round." It is irregular in form, with a central spike.

The cluster is located in the eastern extension of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a nearby dwarf galaxy. It may have already lost 90% of its original mass and is in the process of dissolving into the SMC. As a result, it has achieved a relatively low concentration of stars and is no longer in dynamic equilibrium. The cluster is about 28 million years old and contains ~3,400 times the mass of the Sun. It has a core radius of 7.6 ± 0.3 ly and a tidal radius of 19.2 ± 0.7 ly.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rafelski, Marc; Zaritsky, Dennis (June 2005). "The Star Clusters of the Small Magellanic Cloud: Age Distribution". The Astronomical Journal. 129 (6): 2701–2713. arXiv:astro-ph/0408186. Bibcode:2005AJ....129.2701R. doi:10.1086/424938. S2CID 4600017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Perren, G. I.; et al. (June 2017). "Astrophysical properties of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds homogeneously estimated by ASteCA". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 602: 42. arXiv:1701.08640. Bibcode:2017A&A...602A..89P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201629520. S2CID 56284363. A89.
  3. 1 2 3 Sabbi, E.; et al. (September 2011). "Is the Young Star Cluster NGC 376 Dissolving in the Field of the Small Magellanic Cloud?". The Astrophysical Journal. 739 (1): 10. arXiv:1106.5974. Bibcode:2011ApJ...739...15S. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/739/1/15. S2CID 115651242. 15.
  4. ↑ "NGC 376". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  5. ↑ "New General Catalog Objects: NGC 350 - 399". Cseligman. Retrieved November 30, 2016.