NGC 1252 explained

NGC 1252
Epoch:J2000
Dist Ly:[1] [2]
Appmag V:12.58[3] [4]
Size V:[5]
Radius Ly:~
Names:ESO 116-11[6]
Constellation:Horologium
Galaxy:Milky Way

NGC 1252 is a metal-poor, possible open cluster or open cluster remnant located in the constellation Horologium, containing around 20 stars. Discovered in 1834 by John Herschel, it was described by John Louis Emil Dreyer as an 8th-magnitude star surrounded by a group of 18 or 20 stars. Stars TW Horologii and HD 20286 were once considered to be part of NGC 1252, but this is now not likely.[7]

Due to the nature of the object, it has been given different classifications: according to Bouchet & Thé (1983), it is an open cluster at around 500 million years old located 470pc away, with a diameter of 8pc,[8] while Baumgardt (1998) found it to be an asterism.[9] Pavani, Bica, and Dutra et al. (2001) put the age at 3 billion years old and distance at 1000pc.[10] It is also approximately 900pc below the galactic disc.[7]

Two structures are located nearby: the Tucana-Horologium association and the Hyades Stream. This proximity is the cause of the debate over NGC 1252's nature.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WEBDA page for open cluster NGC 1252 . 17 July 2024 . WEBDA . https://web.archive.org/web/20240717234616/https://webda.physics.muni.cz/cgi-bin/ocl_page.cgi?cluster=NGC+1252 . 17 July 2024 . live.
  2. Estimates range from ~ (Bouchet and Thé 1983) to ~ (Pavani and Bica 2007); see text for a more complete discussion.
  3. de la Fuente Marcos, et al., table 4.
  4. Average of the 13 stars that de la Fuente Marcos et al. include as members.
  5. Web site: NGC 1252 - Open Cluster in Horologium . 18 July 2024 . The Sky Live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703001341/https://theskylive.com/sky/deepsky/ngc1252-object . 3 July 2022 . live . Apparent Size.
  6. NGC 1252. 21 July 2024.
  7. de la Fuente Marcos. R.. de la Fuente Marcos. C.. Moni Bidin. C.. Carraro. G.. Costa. E.. 4 July 2013. NGC 1252: a high altitude, metal poor open cluster remnant. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 434. 1. 194–208. 10.1093/mnras/stt996. free . 11 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180605091430/https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/434/1/194/1009028. 5 June 2018 . live. 1306.1643.
  8. Bouchet. P.. Thé. P. S.. 5 April 1983. Notes on the open cluster NGC 1252 with the variable carbon star TW Horologii as a probable member. PDF. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 95. 570. 474. Patrice Bouchet. 10.1086/131195. 1983PASP...95..474B . 11 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190504195133/https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/131195/pdf . 4 May 2019 . live.
  9. The Nature of Some Doubtful Open Clusters as Revealed by Hipparcos . . Baumgardt . H. . 340 . . . 3 September 1998 . 404 . 1998A&A...340..402B.
  10. Pavani. D. B.. Bica. E.. Dutra. C. M.. Dottori. H.. Santiago. B. X.. Carranza. G.. Díaz. R. J.. 15 August 2001. Open clusters or their remnants: B and V photometry of NGC 1901 and NGC 1252. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 374. 2. 554–563. 10.1051/0004-6361:20010741. astro-ph/0106026 . 2001A&A...374..554P . 11 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240213012848/https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/pdf/2001/29/aah2657.pdf . 13 February 2024. live.

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