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NGC 6242

Coordinates: Sky map 16h 55m 36s, −39° 28′ 00″
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NGC 6242
NGC 6242
Credit: DECaPS
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension16h 55m 30.7s[1]
Declination−39° 28′ 26″[1]
Distance4.35 ± 0.53 kly (1.335 ± 0.163 kpc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)6.4[3]
Apparent dimensions (V)9[3]
Physical characteristics
Estimated age77.6[2] Myr
Other designationsNGC 6242, Cr 317[4]
Associations
ConstellationScorpius
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters
Map showing the location of NGC 6242

NGC 6242 is an open cluster of stars in the southern constellation Scorpius. It can be viewed with binoculars or a telescope at about 1.5° to the south-southeast of the double star Mu Scorpii.[3] This cluster was discovered by French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1752 from South Africa.[5] It is located at a distance of approximately 4,350 ly (1,335 pc) from the Sun,[2] just to the north of the Sco OB 1 association.[6] The cluster has an estimated age of 77.6 million years.[2]

A microquasar with the designation GRO J1655-40 is located in the vicinity of NGC 6242 and is moving away from the cluster with a runaway space velocity of 112±18 km/s. It may have originated in the cluster during a supernova explosion ~2.2×105 year ago.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b Tarricq, Y.; et al. (March 2021). "3D kinematics and age distribution of the open cluster population". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 647. id. A19. arXiv:2012.04017. Bibcode:2021A&A...647A..19T. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039388.
  2. ^ a b c d Spina, L.; et al. (2021). "The GALAH survey: Tracing the Galactic disc with open clusters". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 503 (3): 3279. arXiv:2011.02533. Bibcode:2021MNRAS.503.3279S. doi:10.1093/mnras/stab471.
  3. ^ a b c Crossen, Craig; Rhemann, Gerald (2012). Sky Vistas, Astronomy for Binoculars and Richest-Field Telescopes. Springer Vienna. p. 52. ISBN 9783709106266.
  4. ^ "NGC 6242". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
  5. ^ Jones, K. G. (March 1969). "The search for the nebulae - VI". Journal of the British Astronomical Association. 79: 213–222. Bibcode:1969JBAA...79..213J.
  6. ^ Sana, H.; et al. (August 2006). "An XMM-Newton view of the young open cluster NGC 6231. I. The catalogue". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 454 (3): 1047–1063. arXiv:astro-ph/0603783. Bibcode:2006A&A...454.1047S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20053224.
  7. ^ Combi, J. A.; et al. (May 2007). "New evidence on the origin of the microquasar GRO J1655-40". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 467 (2): 597–602. arXiv:astro-ph/0703674. Bibcode:2007A&A...467..597C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20077156.
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