| NGC 2509 | |
|---|---|
 DSS image of NGC 2509 | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Right ascension | 08h 00m 48s[1] |
| Declination | −19° 03′ 06″[1] |
| Distance | 9,500 ly (2,900 pc[1]) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.3[2] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 2.5 ± 0.5′ |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Estimated age | 1,200 Myr[1] |
| Other designations | NGC 2509,Cr 171,Mel 81, OCl 630[2] |
| Associations | |
| Constellation | Puppis |
| See also:Open cluster,List of open clusters | |
NGC 2509 is anopen cluster in theconstellation ofPuppis. It was discovered on 3 December 1783 byWilliam Herschel.[3] It was described as "bright, pretty rich, slightly compressed" byJohn Louis Emil Dreyer, the compiler of theNew General Catalogue.[3]
The cluster is about 14 light-years (4.2 parsecs) wide,[1] but the cluster's other parameters remain poorly known. Some studies have estimated a distance of about 9,500 light-years (2,900 parsecs) away from theSolar System,[1] while older estimates put it at only 2980 light-years (912 parsecs) away.[4] Estimates of the cluster's age have also varied significantly, from 1.2 billion years old[1] to 8 billion years old.[4] The latest analysis based on theparallaxes measured by theGaia spacecraft confirms that it is a relatively distant object, with a distance between 2500 and 3000 parsecs.[5]
 | This star cluster–related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |