Open cluster

An open cluster is a group of up to a few thousand stars that were formed from the same giant molecular cloud, and are still gravitationally bound to each other. Open clusters are found only in spiral and irregular galaxies, in which active star formation is occurring. They are usually less than a few hundred million years old: they become disrupted by close encounters with other clusters and clouds of gas as they orbit the galactic centre, as well as losing cluster members through internal close encounters.

Further reading

• {{Book reference | Author=W.J. Kaufmann | Title=Universe | Publisher=W H Freeman | Year=1994 | ID=ISBN 0716723794}}
• {{Book reference | Author=E.V.P. Smith, K.C. Jacobs, M. Zeilik, S.A. Gregory | Title=Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics | Publisher=Thomson Learning | Year=1997 | ID=ISBN 0030062284}}