Who says you can’t teach an old telescope new tricks? Despite being in orbit for over three decades, the Hubble Space Telescope is still proving that it’s got what it takes to make groundbreaking discoveries.
Sure, it’s no spring chicken – but with its advanced technology and state-of-the-art instruments, the Hubble is still able to capture stunning images and gather important data about the universe. From capturing images of far-off galaxies to studying the atmospheres of distant planets, the Hubble has done it all.
But the best part? The Hubble is far from done, and it proves it once again.
NGC 2002 enters the cosmic stage
Hubble has recently snapped a photo of the open star cluster known as NGC 2002. It measures “only” 30 light-years across, but it’s still sparkingly beautiful:
Let’s go supergiant spotting!
This new #StarrySights image shows NGC 2002, an open star cluster 30 light-years across.
At its center, you can spy red supergiants – massive stars that are fusing helium after exhausting their hydrogen fuel: https://t.co/JVp4rhNpWl pic.twitter.com/97ZVQSN9GA
— Hubble (@NASAHubble) December 5, 2022
Located in the constellation Orion, the NGC 2002 is a tight-knit group of young, hot stars that are just starting to shine. With their bright, blue-white glow, these stars are a sight to behold, and they make for some amazing astrophotography opportunities.
But the NGC 2002 isn’t just a pretty face – it’s also a treasure trove of scientific information. By studying the stars in this cluster, astronomers can learn about the processes that shape young stars and how they form and evolve over time.
An open star cluster is a group of stars that are held together by their mutual gravitational attraction. These clusters are typically found in the disk of a galaxy, and they are usually composed of hundreds or thousands of stars that are all about the same age.
Open star clusters are often referred to as “young” because they contain relatively young stars that are still in the process of forming. These stars are usually blue-white in color and are much hotter and more luminous than older stars.
There are two main types of star clusters: open clusters and globular clusters.