Below is a list of the largest known star clusters, ordered by diameter in light years, above the size of 50 light years in diameter. This list includes globular clusters, open clusters, super star clusters, and other types.
List
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edit- ^ "Terzan 7 @ seds". Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
- ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 153 ly.
- ^ "Angular Size calculator". 1728.org. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
- ^ Brosche, P.; Odenkirchen, M.; Geffert, M. (March 1999). "Instantaneous and average tidal radii of globular clusters". New Astronomy. 4 (2): 133–139. Bibcode:1999NewA....4..133B. doi:10.1016/S1384-1076(99)00014-7.
- ^ Santos, J. F. C. Jr.; et al. (October 2005), "Structure and stellar content analysis of the open cluster M 11 with 2MASS photometry", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 442 (1): 201–209, arXiv:astro-ph/0507216, Bibcode:2005A&A...442..201S, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20053378, S2CID 15323948.
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 87.3 ly. radius
- ^ distance × sin(diameter_angle / 2), using distance of 5 kpc and angle 36.3′, = 86 ± 6 ly radius
- ^ "Omega Centauri: The Largest Globular Cluster". Universe for Facts. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ distance × sin(diameter_angle / 2) = 84 ly radius
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 88 ly radius
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 76 ly. radius
- ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 67 ly.
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 60 ly. radius
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 53 ly. radius
- ^ a b From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 50 ly
- ^ Monaco, L.; Pancino, E.; Ferraro, F. R.; Bellazzini, M. (2004). "Wide-field photometry of the Galactic globular cluster M22". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 349 (4): 1278–1290. arXiv:astro-ph/0401392. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.349.1278M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07599.x. S2CID 18252633.
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 49 ly. radius
- ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 17,600 × sin(19′/2) = 48.6 ly.
- ^ Nayak, P. K.; et al. (September 2018). "Star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds. II. Age-dating, classification, and spatio-temporal distribution of the SMC clusters". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 616: 24. arXiv:1804.00635. Bibcode:2018A&A...616A.187N. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201732227. S2CID 55901741. A187.
- ^ From trigonometry: distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 28,700 × 0.00157 = 45 ly. radius
- ^ Boyles, J.; Lorimer, D. R.; Turk, P. J.; Mnatsakanov, R.; Lynch, R. S.; Ransom, S. M.; Freire, P. C.; Belczynski, K. (2011-11-20). "Young Radio Pulsars in Galactic Globular Clusters". The Astrophysical Journal. 742 (1): 51. arXiv:1108.4402. Bibcode:2011ApJ...742...51B. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/742/1/51. ISSN 0004-637X. Archived from the original on 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
- ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 32,900 × sin(8.8′/2) = 42.1 ly.
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 41.6 ly. radius
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 40 ly. radius
- ^ From trigonometry: distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 39.5 ly. radius
- ^ Piskunov, A. E.; Schilbach, E.; Kharchenko, N. V.; Röser, S.; Scholz, R.-D. (June 2007). "Towards absolute scales for the radii and masses of open clusters". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 468 (1): 151–161. arXiv:astro-ph/0702517. Bibcode:2007A&A...468..151P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20077073. ISSN 0004-6361.
- ^ Plotner, Tammy (February 22, 2016). "Messier 4 (M4) – The NGC 6121 Globular Cluster". Universe Today. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 37.2 ly radius
- ^ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 34 ly. radius
- ^ "Open Star Cluster NGC 290". ESA Science & Technology. April 18, 2006. Archived from the original on 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
- ^ From trigonometry: radius = distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 ) = 30 ly
- ^ Joshi, Y. C.; et al. (October 2016), "Study of open clusters within 1.8 kpc and understanding the Galactic structure", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 593: 13, arXiv:1606.06425, Bibcode:2016A&A...593A.116J, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201628944, S2CID 118610932, A116.
- ^ MacKey, A. D; Ferguson, A. M. N; Irwin, M. J; Martin, N. F; Huxor, A. P; Tanvir, N. R; Chapman, S. C; Ibata, R. A; Lewis, G. F; McConnachie, A. W (2010). "Deep Gemini/GMOS imaging of an extremely isolated globular cluster in the Local Group". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 401 (1): 533–546. arXiv:0909.1456. Bibcode:2010MNRAS.401..533M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15678.x. S2CID 53377049.
- ^ Ma, J.; de Grijs, R.; Chen, D.; van den Bergh, S.; Fan, Z.; Wu, Z.; Wu, H.; Zhou, X.; Wu, J.; Jiang, Z.; Chen, J. (April 2007). "Structural parameters of Mayall II = G1 in M31". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 376 (4): 1621–1629. arXiv:astro-ph/0702012. Bibcode:2007MNRAS.376.1621M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11573.x. S2CID 3591548.
- ^ Danilov, Vladimir M.; Seleznev, Anton F. (October 2020). "On the Motion of Stars in the Pleiades according to Gaia DR2 Data". Astrophysical Bulletin. 75 (4): 407–424. arXiv:2012.15289. Bibcode:2020AstBu..75..407D. doi:10.1134/S1990341320040045. ISSN 1990-3413.
- ^ Davies, B.; Figer, D. F.; Kudritzki, R. P.; MacKenty, J.; Najarro, F.; Herrero, A. (2007). "A Massive Cluster of Red Supergiants at the Base of the Scutum-Crux Arm". The Astrophysical Journal. 671 (1): 781–801. arXiv:0708.0821. Bibcode:2007ApJ...671..781D. doi:10.1086/522224. S2CID 1447781.
- ^ Lodieu, N.; Pérez-Garrido, A.; Smart, R. L.; Silvotti, R. (2019-08-01). "A 5D view of the α Per, Pleiades, and Praesepe clusters". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 628: A66. arXiv:1906.03924. Bibcode:2019A&A...628A..66L. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201935533. ISSN 0004-6361. Archived from the original on 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ^ "Jewel Box Cluster". constellation-guide.com. January 31, 2015.
- ^ Perryman, M. A. C.; Brown, A. G. A.; Lebreton, Y.; Gomez, A.; Turon, C.; de Strobel, G. Cayrel; Mermilliod, J. C.; Robichon, N.; Kovalevsky, J. (1998), "The Hyades: distance, structure, dynamics, and age", Astron. Astrophys., 331: 81, arXiv:astro-ph/9707253, Bibcode:1998A&A...331...81P
- ^ "The Beehive Cluster". BBC Sky at Night Magazine. July 19, 2021. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ Davies, B.; Figer, D. F.; Law, C. J.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Najarro, F.; Herrero, A.; MacKenty, J. W. (2008). "The Cool Supergiant Population of the Massive Young Star Cluster RSGC1". The Astrophysical Journal. 676 (2): 1016–1028. arXiv:0711.4757. Bibcode:2008ApJ...676.1016D. doi:10.1086/527350. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 15639297.
- ^ Portegies Zwart, Simon F.; McMillan, Stephen L.W.; Gieles, Mark (2010). "Young Massive Star Clusters". Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 48: 431–493. arXiv:1002.1961. Bibcode:2010ARA&A..48..431P. doi:10.1146/annurev-astro-081309-130834. S2CID 119207843.