Messier 34

Messier 34
2MASS image of M34 (taken in infrared band; falsecolor)
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
Constellation	Perseus^[1]
Right ascension	02^h 42.1^m^[2]
Declination	+42° 46′^[2]
Distance	1,500 light years (470 pc^[3])
Apparent magnitude (V)	5.5^[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)	35.0′^[1]
Physical characteristics
Radius	7 ly
Estimated age	200–250 million years^[3]
Other designations	NGC 1039, OCl 382, C 0238+425^[2]

Messier 34 (also known as M 34 or NGC 1039) is an open cluster in the constellation Perseus. It was probably discovered by Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654^[4] and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of comet-like objects in 1764. Messier described it as, "A cluster of small stars a little below the parallel of γ (Andromedae). In an ordinary telescope of 3 feet one can distinguish the stars."^[1]

Based on the distance modulus of 8.38, this cluster is located at a distance of about 470 parsecs, or 1,500 light years.^[3] For stars in the range from 0.12 to 1.0 solar masses, M34 contains an estimated 400 members.^[5] It spans about 35' on the sky which translates to a true radius of 7 light years. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye in very dark conditions, well away from city lights. It is possible to see it in binoculars when light pollution is limited.^[1]

The age of this cluster lies between the respective ages of the Pleiades open cluster at 100 million years and the Hyades open cluster at 800 million years. Comparisons between the observed stellar spectra and the values predicted by stellar evolutionary models gives an age estimate of 200–250 million years for M34.^[3] This is roughly the age at which stars with 0.5 solar masses enter the main sequence. By comparison, stars like the Sun enter the main sequence after 30 million years.^[5]

The average proportion of elements with higher atomic numbers than helium is termed the metallicity by astronomers. This is expressed by the logarithm of the ratio of iron to hydrogen, compared to the same proportion in the Sun. For M34, the metallicity has a value of [Fe/H] = +0.07 ± 0.04. This is equivalent to a 17% higher proportion of iron compared to the Sun. Other elements show a similar abundance, with the exception of nickel which is underabundant.^[6]

At least 19 members of this cluster are white dwarfs. These are stellar remnants of progenitor stars of up to eight solar masses that have evolved through the main sequence and are no longer engaged in thermonuclear fusion to generate energy. Seventeen of the white dwarfs are of spectral type DA or DAZ, while one is a type DB and the last is a type DC.^[7]

References

1 2 3 4 5 Jones, Kenneth Glyn (1991). Messier's nebulae and star clusters. The Practical Astronomy Handbook, Volume 2 (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 139. ISBN 0-521-37079-5.
1 2 3 "M 34 – Open (galactic) Cluster". SIMBAD Astronomical Database. Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
1 2 3 4 Jones, B. F.; Prosser, Charles F. (1996). "Membership of Stars in NGC 1039 (M34)". Astronomical Journal. 111: 1193. Bibcode:1996AJ....111.1193J. doi:10.1086/117865.
↑ Frommert, Hartmut; Kronberg, Christine (1998-02-08). "Hodierna's Deep Sky Observations". Retrieved 2009-09-03.
1 2 Irwin, Jonathan; et al. (2006). "The Monitor project: rotation of low-mass stars in the open cluster M34". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 370 (2): 954–974. arXiv:astro-ph/0605617. Bibcode:2006MNRAS.370..954I. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10521.x.
↑ Schuler, Simon C.; et al. (2003). "Spectroscopic Abundances of Solar-Type Dwarfs in the Open Cluster M34 (NGC 1039)". Astronomical Journal. 125 (4): 2085–2097. Bibcode:2003AJ....125.2085S. doi:10.1086/373927.
↑ Rubin, Kate H. R.; Williams, Kurtis A.; Bolte, M.; Koester, Detlev (2008). "The White Dwarf Population in NGC 1039 (M34) and the White Dwarf Initial-Final Mass Relation". Astronomical Journal. 135 (6): 2163–2176. arXiv:0805.3156. Bibcode:2008AJ....135.2163R. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/6/2163.

External links

Messier 34, SEDS Messier pages
Messier 34 – Image by Donald P. Waid
Gretton, Roy; Gray, Meghan; Szymanek, Nik. "M34 – Open Cluster". Deep Sky Videos. Brady Haran.

Messier 34 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images

Messier objects

List	M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12 M13 M14 M15 M16 M17 M18 M19 M20 M21 M22 M23 M24 M25 M26 M27 M28 M29 M30 M31 M32 M33 M34 M35 M36 M37 M38 M39 M40 M41 M42 M43 M44 M45 M46 M47 M48 M49 M50 M51 M52 M53 M54 M55 M56 M57 M58 M59 M60 M61 M62 M63 M64 M65 M66 M67 M68 M69 M70 M71 M72 M73 M74 M75 M76 M77 M78 M79 M80 M81 M82 M83 M84 M85 M86 M87 M88 M89 M90 M91 M92 M93 M94 M95 M96 M97 M98 M99 M100 M101 M102 M103 M104 M105 M106 M107 M108 M109 M110

See also	Caldwell catalogue Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars Herschel 400 Catalogue Index Catalogue New General Catalogue Revised New General Catalogue

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Coordinates: 02^h 42.1^m 00^s, 42° 46′ 00″

New General Catalogue 1000 to 1499

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Astronomical catalog List of NGC objects

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