NGC 2158

NGC 2158 is an open cluster in the constellation of Gemini. It is, in angle, immediately southwest of open cluster Messier 35, and is believed to be about 2 billion years old.[2] The two clusters are unrelated, as the subject is around 9,000 light years further away.

NGC 2158
NGC 2158 to the lower right of M35
Credit: 2MASS/NASA
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationGemini
Right ascension06h 07m 25s[1]
Declination+24° 05.8[1]
Distance11,000+ ly[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)8.6[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)5 arcmin[2]
Physical characteristics
Radius8 ly
Estimated age~2 billion yrs[2]

Once thought to be a globular cluster, it is now known to be an intermediate-age, metal-poor open cluster that is a member of the old thin disk population.[2]

References

  1. "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for NGC 2158. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  2. Carraro, Giovanni; Girardi, Leo; Marigo, Paola (2002). "The intermediate-age open cluster NGC 2158". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 332 (3): 705. arXiv:astro-ph/0202018. Bibcode:2002MNRAS.332..705C. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05326.x.
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