(ORDO NEWS) — Using the Tubitak National Observatory (TUG) and ESA‘s Gaia satellite, Turkish astronomers surveyed Berkeley 68 and Stock 20, two open galaxy clusters.
Open clusters (PCs) are groups of gravitationally bound stars that were formed from a single giant molecular cloud. So far, more than 1,000 PCs have been discovered in the Milky Way, and scientists are still looking for more.
Berkeley 68 is 11,000 light years away. This is an IV2p cluster according to Trumpler’s classification. The estimated age of Berkeley 68 is 2.1 billion years. It contains at least 1200 stars.
Stock 20 belongs to class II2p. The cluster is located about 8500 light-years from us. Its age is estimated at 19 million years.
A team of astronomers led by Talar Yontan of Istanbul University is conducting a research project studying previously poorly analyzed open clusters in the Milky Way galaxy.
As part of this project, scientists examined Berkeley 68 and Stock 20 by analyzing data from TUG and Gaia.
The team determined the limiting radii of the RS. They were calculated as 22.8 and 20.7 light years for Berkeley 68 and Stock 20, respectively.
The scientists identified 198 stars for Berkeley 68 and 51 stars for Stock 20 as likely members of the RS (only stars within these limiting radii were considered potential members of the clusters).
The study found that Berkeley 68 is older and closer than previously thought. According to calculations, the distance to the RS was 9,800 light years, and its age was estimated at 2.4 billion years.
Its metallicity is at -0.13, and the reddening is estimated at 0.52. Astronomers believe that the cluster originated from a relatively metal-poor region of the Milky Way.
Scientists have concluded that Stock 20 is about 9,500 light-years away and is 50 million years old. The reddening of the cluster was estimated at about 0.4, and its metallicity was about -0.01.
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