NGC 346 is a young[4] open cluster of stars with associated nebula located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) that appears in the southern constellation of Tucana. It was discovered August 1, 1826 by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. J. L. E. Dreyer described it as, "bright, large, very irregular figure, much brighter middle similar to double star, mottled but not resolved".[5] On the outskirts of the cluster is the multiple star system HD 5980,[6] one of the brightest stars in the SMC.
| NGC 346 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) James Webb Space Telescope image of NGC 346 | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Right ascension | 00h 59m 05.090s[1] |
| Declination | −72° 10′ 33.24″[1] |
| Distance | 210,000 light-years |
| Physical characteristics | |
| H II region | |
| Other designations | ESO 51-10,[2] N66 |
| Associations | |
| Constellation | Tucana[3] |
This cluster is located near the center of the brightest H II region in the SMC, designated N66.[7] This is positioned in the northeast section of the galactic bar.[8] Stellar surveys have identified 230 massive OB stars in the direction of this cluster.[4] 33 of the cluster members are O-type stars, with 11 of type O6.5 or earlier.[8] The inner 15 pc radius of the cluster appears centrally condensed, while the area outside that volume is more dispersed.[9] The youngest cluster members near the center have ages of less than two million years,[7] and observations suggests the cluster is still engaged in high mass star formation.[7] The cluster star formation rate is estimated at (4±1)×10−3 M☉ yr−1.[9]
Recent observations[10] by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have provided unprecedented insights into NGC 346. These observations have revealed surprising details about the cluster's dust environment, challenging previous assumptions and shedding light on the processes of protostar formation and early planetary development within this dynamic stellar nursery. Webb's observations mark a significant advancement in our understanding of star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud and offer exciting avenues for further research into the cosmic evolution of galaxies.
Image of NGC 346 with a 30 arcminute wide field of view showing the wispy nebular structure around it.
| Walborn | ELS | MPG | NMC | SSN | Spectral type | Effective temperature (K) | Absolute magnitude | Bolometric magnitude | Mass (M☉) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207758 | 755 (HD 5980/AB5) | LBV WN4 OI | 45,000 45,000 34,000 | −7.1 (−8.1) −6.8 −6.7 | −11.135 −10.885 −9.885 | 61 66 34 | |||
| 1 | 435 | 26 | 7 | O5.5If | 43,400 | −6.7 | −10.7 | 91 | |
| 1 | 789 | 5 | O7If | 38,900 | −7 | −10.7 | 85 | ||
| 3 | 355 | 29 | 9 | O3V | 51,300 | −5.7 | −10.3 | 76 | |
| 6 | 7 | 324 | 32 | 13 | O4V | 48,600 | −5.2 | −9.6 | 54 |
| 4 | 342 | 30 | 11 | O5.5V | 44,900 | −5.5 | −9.7 | 53 | |
| 368 | 28 | 15 | O5.5V | 44,900 | −5 | −9.2 | 43 | ||
| 2 | 470 | 25 | O8.5III | 35,700 | −5.4 | −8.9 | 34 |
See also
References
External links
Media related to NGC 346 at Wikimedia Commons- ESA'
- Hubble Heritage site Hubble picture and information on NGC 346
- ESO Beautiful Image of a Cosmic Sculpture
- NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Young Stars of NGC 346 (28 September 2008)
- NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: NGC 346 in the Small Magellanic Cloud (17 October 2010)
