Open cluster Haffner 18

Open stellar cluster Haffner 18, perfectly illustrating three different stages of this process of star formation : in the centre of the picture, Haffner 18, a group of mature stars that have already dispersed their birth nebulae, represents the completed product or immediate past of the star formation process. Located at the bottom left of this cluster, a very young star, just come into existence and, still surrounded by its birth cocoon of gas, provides insight into the very present of star birth. Finally, the dust clouds towards the right corner of the image are active stellar nurseries that will produce more new stars in the future. Haffner 18 contains about 50 stars, among which several short lived, massive ones. The massive star still surrounded by a small, dense shell of hydrogen, has the rather cryptic name of FM3060a. The shell is about 2.5 light-years wide and expands at a speed of 20 km/s. It must have been created some 40,000 years ago. The cluster is between 25,000 and 30,000 light-years away from us.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0544b
Type:Observation
Release date:25 December 2005
Related releases:eso0544
Size:2035 x 2043 px

About the Object

Name:Haffner 18
Type:Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Cluster : Open
Distance:35000 light years
Constellation:Puppis
Category:Nebulae
Star Clusters

Image Formats

Large JPEG
1.8 MB
Screensize JPEG
324.7 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
330.1 KB
1280x1024
561.8 KB
1600x1200
906.0 KB
1920x1200
1.2 MB
2048x1536
1.7 MB

Coordinates

Position (RA):7 52 35.88
Position (Dec):-26° 22' 54.51"
Field of view:6.82 x 6.85 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 359.9° left of vertical