Messier 35

Messier 35
Messier 35 with NGC 2158 at lower right
Credit: 2MASS/NASA.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension06h 08m 54.0s[1]
Declination+24° 20′ 00″[1]
Distance2,970 ly (912 pc)[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)5.3[2]
Apparent dimensions (V)28[3] arcmins
Physical characteristics
Mass1,600[4] M☉
Radius11 ly[5]
Estimated age175 Myr[4]
Other designationsM35, NGC 2168,[6] Cr 82, C 0605+243
Associations
ConstellationGemini
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

Messier 35 or M35, also known as NGC 2168 or the Shoe-Buckle Cluster, is a relatively close open cluster of stars in the west of Gemini, at about the declination of the Sun when the latter is at June solstice.[a] It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux around 1745 and independently discovered by John Bevis before 1750.[3] It is scattered over part of the sky almost the size of the full moon and is 2,970 light-years (912 parsecs) away.[1] The compact open cluster NGC 2158 lies directly southwest of it.

Leonard & Merritt (1989) computed the mass of M35 using a statistical technique based on proper motion velocities of its stars. The mass within the central 3.75 parsecs (12.2 ly) was found to be between 1600 and 3200 solar masses,[b] consistent with the mass of a realistic stellar population within the same radius.[7] Bouy et al. in 2015 found a mass of around 1,600 M☉ within the central 27.5' × 27.5′. There are 305 stars that can be intrinsically shown to be extremely likely to be members,[c] and up to 4,349 averaging the 50% membership probability, from the kinematic (such as parallax and proper motion) and spectral data published before 2015.[4] The cluster's metallicity is [Fe/H] = −0.21±0.10, where −1 would be ten times less metallic than the sun.[4]

Of 418 probable members, Leiner et al. in 2015 found 64 that have variable radial velocities thus are binary star systems.[8] Four probable members are chemically peculiars, while HD 41995, which in the (telescopic angular) cluster field, shows emission lines.[9] Hu et al. in 2005 found 13 variable stars in the field; at least three are suspect as cluster members. To be a member means to have a gravitational tie or, if recently freed, having been created by the same event.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Wu2009a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Messier 35". SEDS Messier Catalog. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Thompson2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Bouy2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stoyan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Leonard1989 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Leiner2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Paunzen2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hu2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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