NASA releases unprecedented photo of Messier 67, the second oldest known open cluster
The Hubble space telescope, from Nasa in partnership with Agência Espacial Europeia (ESA), released this week a new high-resolution image of the open cluster Messier 67, also called M67. The record shows hundreds of stars in shades of blue and orange, highlighting bright points that have the characteristic diffraction spines.
Located in the constellation of Câncer, M67 is approximately 2,700 light-years from Terra and contains about 500 gravitationally bound stars. Sua’s estimated age of 4 billion years makes it one of the oldest open clusters ever catalogued, comparable to the age of Sol.
The image corresponds to just a small portion of the cluster, which also goes by the popular names of King Cobra Cluster and Golden Eye Cluster.
Unique features of the Messier 67
M67 stands out for its stellar composition similar to that of the Via Láctea disk. Estudos indicate that it has stars with chemical abundance close to that of the Sun.
Another difference is its position: the cluster is 1,500 light-years above the central plane of the galactic galaxy, which is rare among open clusters.
Scientific importance of the cluster
Astronomers use M67 as a natural laboratory to understand stellar evolution. Por’s age is close to that of Sol and its composition is similar, allowing us to compare the development of stars in a dense environment.
The cluster has already been the target of several telescopes, including ESA’s Gaia, which has mapped the movements and distances of thousands of stars there.
Recent research has identified several white dwarfs and red giant stars, the final stages of stellar life.
Details of the new Hubble image
The photograph was processed by Gladys Kober, Universidade Católica from América and Centro Espacial Goddard from Nasa. The record uses filters that capture visible and near-infrared light.
The brightest stars have four diffraction spines, an optical effect typical of Hubble images. No background, distant galaxies and fainter points of light appear.
Amateur observation and Messier catalog
M67 is the second oldest open cluster in the Messier catalog, which contains 110 objects created by the French astronomer Charles Messier in the 18th century. Apesar of old, it can be seen with binoculars or small telescopes on clear nights.
Its apparent magnitude of 6.9 allows observation in places with little light pollution.
- Distance from Terra: about 2,700 light years
- Approximate age: 4 billion years
- Number of stars: approximately 500
- Constellation: Câncer
- Apparent magnitude: 6.9
Hubble contribution to the study
Since its launch in 1990, Hubble has observed the M67 in several campaigns. New As images help refine models of open cluster evolution.
The data remains available to the international scientific community through the Mikulski to Telescópios Espaciais (MAST) archive.
