NGC 1746
 Amateur image of NGC 1746. NGC 1750 and NGC 1758 overlap NGC 1746 and each other, south and south east of the centre of NGC 1746. | |
 Location map | |
| Object type | Asterism |
|---|---|
| Other designations | Cr 57, Mel 28 |
| Constellation | Taurus |
| 05h 03m 50.0s[1] | |
| Declination | +23° 46′ 12″[1] |
In visual light (V) | |
Apparent size | ~40' |
6.1  | |
 Related media on Wikimedia Commons | |
NGC 1746 is an asterism in the constellation Taurus that was described in 1863 by Heinrich Louis d'Arrest and as a result was recorded in the New General Catalogue (NGC). Previously, the object was classified as an open cluster;[2] however, it was shown through more recent observations that it is a random formation of stars in Earth's sky, an asterism.[3] NGC 1746 has an apparent magnitude of 6.1. It is also known as the Cluster of Clusters or the Taurus Triplet as the region of the sky also include NGC 1750 and NGC 1758.
NGC 1746 is a sparse, star grouping that spans around 40 arcminutes. Originally classified as an open cluster, later studies suggest it is likely to be an asterism.[4]
NGC 1750 is a true open star cluster, spanning 20 arcminutes, with an estimated age of about 200 million years.[5] It contains several hundred stars,[6] many of which are still on the main sequence. NGC 1758 is a smaller and denser open cluster, about 12 arcminutes in size, and somewhat further away than NGC 1750.[4] Its stars are older, with an estimated age of 541 million years.[5] Despite its age, there are no confirmed red giant members of NGC 1758.[4]
Although these clusters are visually close, detailed analysis of stellar motion and distance indicates that NGC 1750 and NGC 1758 are unrelated clusters, and NGC 1746 is likely a random grouping of stars rather than a true cluster.[3]
References
[edit]- 1 2 Wu, Zhen-Yu; et al. (November 2009), "The orbits of open clusters in the Galaxy", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 399 (4): 2146–2164, arXiv:0909.3737, Bibcode:2009MNRAS.399.2146W, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15416.x, S2CID 6066790.
- ↑ Galadí-Enríquez, D.; et al. (August 1998), "Astrometry and Photometry of Open Clusters: NGC 1746, NGC 1750 and NGC 1758", Astrophysics and Space Science, 263: 239–258, Bibcode:1998Ap&SS.263..307G, doi:10.1051/aas:1998433.
- 1 2 Landolt, Arlo U.; Africano III, John L. (September 2010), "Photometry of a Group of Stars in the Direction of NGC 1746/1750/1758", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 122 (895), Bibcode:2010PASP..122.1008L, doi:10.1086/656322.
- 1 2 3 Galadi-Enriquez, D.; Jordi, C.; Trullols, E. (1998). "The overlapping open clusters NGC 1750 and NGC 1758. III. Cluster-field segregation and clusters physical parameters". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 337: 125. Bibcode:1998A&A...337..125G.
- 1 2 Almeida, Duarte; Moitinho, André; Moreira, Sandro (2025). "Open cluster dissolution rate and the initial cluster mass function in the solar neighbourhood: Modelling the age and mass distributions of clusters observed by Gaia". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 693. arXiv:2412.19204. Bibcode:2025A&A...693A.305A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202451853.
- ↑ Xu, Ming; Fu, Xiaoting; Chen, Yang; Li, Lu; Fang, Min; Zhao, He; Liu, Penghui; Zuo, Yichang (2025). "Nearby open clusters with tidal features: Golden sample selection and 3D structure". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 698: A156. arXiv:2504.17744. Bibcode:2025A&A...698A.156X. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554212.
External links
[edit]
Media related to NGC 1746 at Wikimedia Commons
