Messier 50

Messier 50
Open Messier 50 in Monoceros
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension07h 02m 47.5s[1]
Declination−08° 20′ 16″[1][a]
Distance2,870 ly (881 pc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)5.9[3]
Apparent dimensions (V)16.0′[3]
Physical characteristics
Mass> 285 M☉[4] M☉
Radius8.9 ly (2.73 pc)[4]
Estimated age140[1] Myr
Other designationsM50, NGC 2323, Cr 124, C 0700-082, OCl 559[5]
Associations
ConstellationMonoceros
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

Messier 50 or M 50, also known as NGC 2323 or the Heart-shaped Cluster, is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Monoceros. It was recorded by G. D. Cassini before 1711 and independently discovered by Charles Messier in 1772[b] while observing Biela's Comet. It is sometimes described as a 'heart-shaped' figure or a blunt arrowhead.[3]

M50 is about 2,900 light-years away from Earth[2] and is near to but narrowly not estimated to be gravitationally tied to the Canis Major (CMa) OB1 association.[4] It has a core radius of 5.9 ly (1.8 pc)[6] and spans 17.8 ly (5.46 pc).[4] The cluster has 508 confirmed and 109 probable members – their combined mass is more than 285 M☉, the mean stellar density would thus be 1.3 stars per cubic parsec.[4] It is around 140 million years old,[1] with two high-mass white dwarfs[7] and two chemically peculiar stars.[8]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Frolov2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference kharchenko2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Thompson2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference Claria1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sharma2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cummings2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Paunzen2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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