Astronomers perform a comprehensive study of two open clusters
Tomasz Nowakowski
astronomy writer
Stephanie Baum
scientific editor
Andrew Zinin
lead editor
Using the TUBITAK National Observatory and ESA's Gaia satellite, astronomers from the Istanbul University in Turkey and elsewhere have conducted comprehensive observations of two open clusters, namely: Czernik 41 and NGC 1342. Results of the observational campaign, published July 7 on the arXiv preprint server, deliver important insights into the properties of these clusters.
Open clusters (OCs) are groups of stars formed from the same giant molecular cloud and loosely gravitationally bound to each other. Astronomers are interested in inspecting OCs in detail as such studies could be crucial for improving our understanding of the formation and evolution of our galaxy.
That is why a group of researchers led by Istanbul University's Burçin Tanık Öztürk decided to take a closer look at two well-known OCs—Czernik 41, discovered in 1966, and NGC 1342, dubbed the Stingray Cluster, which was identified by William Herschel in 1799. For this purpose, they employed the T100 telescope at the TUBITAK National Observatory in Turkey and analyzed the data from the Gaia satellite.
"In this study, the structural, astrophysical, kinematic, and galactic orbital parameters of the open clusters Czernik 41 and NGC 1342, as well as their dynamical evolution, are investigated using CCD UBV photometry and Gaia data," the researchers wrote in the paper.
T100 and Gaia allowed Öztürk's team to analyze Czernik 41 and NGC 1342 by determining the membership probabilities of their stars, mean proper motions, and distances. The astrophysical, kinematical, and dynamical galactic orbital parameters were derived exclusively from stars with high-probability membership.
The astronomers determined 382 and 111 stars as highly probable members of Czernik 41 and NGC 1342, respectively. The observations suggest that Czernik 41 has a denser stellar population than NGC 1342.
According to the paper, Czernik 41 has a radius of 25.9 light years, metallicity at a level of 0.07 dex, and its age was estimated to be 69 million years. The distance to the cluster was measured to be 8,100 light years.
NGC 1342 turned out to be much older than Czernik 41, as its age was calculated to be about 1 billion years. The cluster has a radius of 6.7 light years, a metallicity of approximately -0.14 dex, and is located some 2,100 light years away.
The mean radial velocities of Czernik 41 and NGC 1342 were calculated to be 2.41 and −10.48 km/s, respectively. In addition, the study found that both clusters have likely reached dynamical relaxation as relaxation times for Czernik 41 and NGC 1342 were estimated to be 37.31 and 4.44 million years, respectively.
The astronomers added that the orbital analysis of both investigated OCs revealed distinct orbital paths. They noted that it appears that Czernik 41, originating within the solar circle, remains within this region, while NGC 1342, which formed outside the solar circle, has since entered it.
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More information: Tanik Ozturk et al, A Comprehensive Study of Czernik 41 and NGC 1342 Using CCD UBV and Gaia DR3 Data, arXiv (2025).
Journal information: arXiv
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