Messier 52
- 1 min read
- 1 chapter
Related on Lably
Through Star, Constellation and Earth
R. J. Trumpler classified the cluster appearance as II2r, indicating a rich cluster with little central concentration and a medium range in the brightness of the stars. This was later revised to I2r, denoting a dense core. The cluster has a core radius of 2.97 ± 0.46 ly (0.91 ± 0.14 pc) and a tidal radius of 42.7 ± 7.2 ly (13.1 ± 2.2 pc). It has an estimated age of 158.5 million years and a mass of 1,200 M☉.
The magnitude 8.3 supergiant star BD +60°2532 is a probable member of the cluster, so too 18 candidate slowly pulsating B stars, one being a Delta (δ) Scuti variable, and three candidate Gamma Doradus (γ Dor) variables. There may also be three Be stars. The core of the cluster shows a lack of interstellar matter, which may be due to supernovae explosion(s) early in the cluster's history.