NGC 2281

NGC 2281
NGC 2281 (taken from Stellarium)
Credit: Roberto Mura
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension06h 48m 17.(0)s[1]
Declination+41° 04′ 4(2)″[1]
Distance1,722+104
−91 ly (528+32
−28 pc[2])
Apparent magnitude (V)5.4[3]
Apparent dimensions (V)25′[3]
Physical characteristics
Estimated age610[4] million
Other designationsCr 116, Mel 51, C0645+411, OCL-446[5]
Associations
ConstellationAuriga
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

NGC 2281, also known as the Broken Heart Cluster,[6] is an open cluster of stars in the northern constellation of Auriga. It was discovered by English astronomer William Herschel on March 4, 1788, and described as a, "cluster of coarsely scattered pretty [bright] stars, pretty rich".[7] The Trumpler class for NGC 2281 is I3p, indicating a poor (p) but compact (I) grouping with a wide range of brightness (3).[8] It is located at a distance of approximately 1,720 ly from the Sun and is 630–661 million years old.[2]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MNRAS399_4_2146 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Terrell_et_al_2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference OMeara2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference clusters 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. ^ Stoyan, Ronald; Schurig, Stephan (2014). interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas. Erlangen: Cambridge University Press; Oculum-Verlag GmbH. ISBN 978-1-107-50338-0. OCLC 920437579.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference O'Meara2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Vasilevskis_Balz_1959 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).