a Carinae Cluster | |
---|---|
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch) | |
Right ascension | 09h 06m 52.3s[1] |
Declination | −58° 41′ 06″[1] |
Distance | 440±1 ly (134.9±0.6 pc[1]) |
Apparent dimensions (V) | 3.45° × 3.45°[1] |
Physical characteristics | |
Mass | 546+265 −178[2] M☉ |
Radius | 37.2 ± 4.9 ly (11.4 ± 1.5 pc)[2] |
Estimated age | 60±15 Ma[3] |
Other designations | Platais 8, HIP 45080 Cluster, MWSC 1629 |
Associations | |
Constellation | Carina |
Platais 8, also known as the a Carinae cluster or HIP 45080 Cluster is a small and faint open cluster located in the southern constellation Carina. It is estimated to be 440 light years distant based on parallax measurements.[1]
The cluster was first noticed by astronomer Imants Platais in 1998.[4] A 2005 paper suggests that Platais 8 might have formed near the area where the Scorpius-Centaurus association is located. [5] The SIMBAD database lists the cluster having 28,185 members[6] but the majority of the stars are field stars. In fact, there are only 32 members physically associated with the cluster.[1] The cluster has a combined mass of 546 M☉ and a radius of 37.2 light years Platais 8 is rather young, with an age of only 60 million years.[3]
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