NGC 2627

NGC 2627
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
Right ascension08h 37m 14.2s[1]
Declination−29° 57′ 07″[1]
Distance5,990 ly (1,837 pc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)8.4[3]
Apparent dimensions (V)11.0′[3]
Physical characteristics
Other designationsNGC 2627, Cr 188, Mel 87[4]
Associations
ConstellationPyxis
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

NGC 2627 is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Pyxis. It was discovered on March 3, 1793 by German-British astronomer William Herschel. Dutch astronomer J. L. E. Dreyer described it as "a cluster, considerably large, pretty rich, pretty compressed, stars from 11th to 13th magnitude".[5] The cluster has an integrated visual magnitude of 8.4 and it spans an angular size of 11.0′.[3] Around 15 stars are visible when viewed through binoculars.[3] NGC 2627 is located at a distance of approximately 5,990 ly (1,837 pc) from the Sun,[2] just above the galactic midplane.[6]

This cluster has a Trumpler class of III 2m,[3] which means it is generally average in appearance with no noticeable concentration of stars. It is of intermediate age, being around 1.4 billion years old. Correspondingly, the metallicity of the cluster is slightly sub-solar.[6] The cluster population shows four different peaks of star formation, separated by relatively quiescent periods lasting two to three hundred million years.[7]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Tarricq_et_al_2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Poggio_et_al_2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference Inglis_2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Simbad was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Seligman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Siegel_et_al_2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Piatti_et_al_2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).