Astronomy:NGC 1444

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Short description: Small open cluster in the constellation Perseus
NGC 1444
NGC 1444 DSS.jpg
NGC 1444 imaged by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationPerseus
Right ascension 03h 49m 23.8s[1]
Declination+52° 29′ 24″[1]
Distance4.2 kly (1.3 kpc)[1]
Physical characteristics
Estimated age7.08 Myr[1]
Other designationsCr 43, C 0345+525, OCL 394[2]
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

NGC 1444 is a small open cluster of stars in the northern constellation of Perseus, about 2-​14° to the northwest of 43 Persei.[3] It has an angular diameter of arcminutes and a brightness of 6.60 in visual magnitude. The cluster has sixty members of seventh magnitude or fainter, and is better appreciated in larger telescopes.[3] NGC 1444 was discovered on 18 December 1788 by the German-British astronomer William Herschel.[4][5][6] It is located at a distance of 4,200 light-years from the Sun and is about 7.1[1] million years old. The cluster has a physical core radius of 1.73 ± 0.42 ly and a tidal radius of 17.4 ± 4.2 ly.[1] The most prominent member is the triple star system Σ446, with a magnitude 6.7 primary.[7] The cluster is a member of the Camelopardalis OB1 association.[7]

References