What is an open star cluster?
Q: What is an open star cluster?
A: An open star cluster, also known as a galactic cluster, is a group of a few hundred or thousand stars that have roughly the same age and were formed from the same giant molecular cloud.
Q: How many open clusters have been discovered in the Milky Way Galaxy?
A: More than 1,100 open clusters have been discovered within the Milky Way Galaxy.
Q: How are open clusters held together?
A: Open clusters are loosely bound together by mutual gravitational attraction but can be disrupted by close encounters with other clusters and clouds of gas.
Q: How long do open clusters typically survive for?
A: Open clusters generally survive for a few hundred million years, with the most massive ones surviving for a few billion years.
Q: Are globular clusters more or less likely to survive than open clusters?
A: Globular clusters of stars exert a stronger gravitational attraction on their members so they can survive for longer than open clusters.
Q: In which types of galaxies are open star clusters found? A: Open star clusters have only been found in spiral and irregular galaxies where active star formation is occurring.
Q: What happens when young open star clusters form in molecular clouds? A: Young open star clusters light up the molecular cloud they form in and create an H II region. Over time, radiation pressure from the cluster will disperse the molecular cloud.
