Astronomy:NGC 1605

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NGC 1605
File:NGC 1605 PanS.jpg
Pan-STARRS image of NGC 1605
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationPerseus
Right ascension 04h 34m 58.4s[1]
Declination+45° 16′ 09″[1]
Distance7,990 ± 320 ly (2,449 ± 98 pc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)11.0[3]
Apparent dimensions (V)5.0 × 5.0[3]
Physical characteristics
Mass623[4] M
Estimated age400±50[4] Myr
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

NGC 1605 is an open cluster of stars in the northern constellation of Perseus. It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on December 11, 1786.[5][6] This cluster is located at a distance of approximately 8,000 ly (2,449 pc) from the Sun.[2] It spans an angular size of 5.0 × 5.0 with an apparent visual magnitude of 11.0.[3]

Observations

This cluster has a low concentration with a Trumpler class of III 2 m.[7] It is estimated to have 623[4] times the mass of the Sun with a core radius of 2.49+0.27
−0.41
 pc
.[2] The cluster is drifting closer to the Sun with a line of sight velocity component of −15.27±1.35 km/s. It is a member of the young thin disk population of the Milky Way.[4]

In 2021, D. Camargo presented results that suggested NGC 1605 is actually a binary open cluster system. The data showed two distinct stellar populations in the region: NGC 1605a with an age of 600 Myr and NGC 1605b at an age of 2 Gyr. This large age difference seemed to indicate a close encounter between two clusters that resulted in tidal capture. The presence of possible tidal debris appeared to support this hypothesis.[8] However, a 2022 study of Gaia 3 data contradicted this finding, suggesting the apparent difference was the result of contamination by field stars.[9][10]

The open cluster Can Batlló 1 may be located less than 330 light-years (100 pc) from NGC 1605.[9]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Gaia Collaboration (June 2023), "Gaia Data Release 3. Mapping the asymmetric disc of the Milky Way", Astronomy & Astrophysics 674: id. A37, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243797, Bibcode2023A&A...674A..37G. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Almeida, Duarte (January 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 & Astrophysics 693: id. A305, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202451853, Bibcode2025A&A...693A.305A. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "On Structural Properties of Open Galactic Clusters and their Spatial Distribution. Catalog of Open Galactic Clusters", Annals of the Observatory of Lund 2: B1–B46, 1931, Bibcode1931AnLun...2....1C.  See p. B5.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Gokmen, Sevinc (December 2023), "CCD UBV and Gaia DR3 Analyses of the Open Clusters King 6 and NGC 1605", The Astronomical Journal 166 (6): id. 263, doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ad08b0, Bibcode2023AJ....166..263G. 
  5. Seligman, C., "NGC Objects: NGC 1600 - 1649", Celestial Atlas, https://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc16.htm#1605, retrieved 2026-03-25. 
  6. Prostak, Sergio (October 18, 2021), "Astronomer Discovers Ancient Binary Open Cluster in Milky Way", Sci.News, https://www.sci.news/astronomy/ancient-binary-open-cluster-10177.html, retrieved 2026-03-26. 
  7. Fang, C. (February 1970), "The estimates of the galactic clusters NGC 1664 and NGC 1605", Astronomy and Astrophysics 4: 75–77, Bibcode1970A&A.....4...75F. 
  8. Camargo, Denilso (December 2021), "NGC 1605a and NGC 1605b: An Old Binary Open Cluster in the Galaxy", The Astrophysical Journal 923 (1): id. 21, doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac2835, Bibcode2021ApJ...923...21C. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Anders, Friedrich (March 2022), "NGC 1605 is not a Binary Cluster", Research Notes of the AAS 6 (3): id. 58, doi:10.3847/2515-5172/ac6034, Bibcode2022RNAAS...6...58A. 
  10. Anders, Friedrich (July 2022), "Binary star clusters - do they really exist? The case of NGC 1605", EAS2022, European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting, held 27 June-1 July, 2022 in Valencia, Spain. EAS2022, Session SS15 : The Renaissance of Open Cluster Science with Gaia, ePoster: id. 1857, Bibcode2022eas..conf.1857A. 

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