NGC 2516 explained

NGC 2516
Constellation:	Carina
Epoch:	J2000.0
Class:	VII
Dist Ly:	1.3 kly
Appmag V:	3.8
Size V:	30.0
Mass Msol:	10^5 to 10^6
V Hb:	14.2
Names:	NGC 2516, Caldwell 96, Cr 172

NGC 2516 (also known as Caldwell 96) is an open star cluster in the southern sky in the constellation Carina discovered by Abbe Lacaille in 1751-1752.^[1] It is also called Southern Beehive^{[2] [3]} or the Sprinter.^{[4] [5]}

Description

This bright cluster itself is easily visible with the naked eye as a hazy patch, but is resolvable into stars using binoculars. It contains two 5th magnitude red giant stars and three main visual double stars: HJ 4027, HJ 4031 and I 29. A small telescope would be required to split the double stars, which are all pairs of 8-9 magnitude and 1-10 arcseconds separation.^[6]

NGC 2516 and the recently discovered nearby star cluster Mamajek 2 in Ophiuchus have similar age and metallicity. Recently, kinematic evidence was presented by E. Jilinski and coauthors that suggests that these two stellar groups may have formed in the same star-forming complex some 135 million years ago.^[7]

The cluster is surrounded by the 500-parsec diameter halo consisting of stars ejected from cluster.

Bibliography

• Burnham, Robert. Burnham's Celestial Handbook. Dover, 1978. .

External links

• • SEDS – NGC 2516

Notes and References

1. The search for the nebulae - VI . Jones . K. G. . Journal of the British Astronomical Association . 79 . 213–222 . March 1969 . 1969JBAA...79..213J.
2. Web site: Beginner's Guide to the Night Sky : Summer Sky Tour . Genelle . Weule . abc.com . 2010 . 15 April 2016 . 18 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180318054339/https://oneminuteastronomer.com/1135/southern-beehive-cluster/ . dead .
3. Web site: ESA's 'The "Southern Beehive" Cluster . Brian . Ventrudo . americaspace.com . 2009 . 15 April 2016 . 18 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180318054339/https://oneminuteastronomer.com/1135/southern-beehive-cluster/ . dead .
4. Web site: ESA's 'Mission: Impossible' Sees First Light: Gaia Opens Her Eyes to the Galaxy « AmericaSpace . Leonidas . Papadopoulos . americaspace.com . 2014 . 13 June 2014.
5. Imaging the Southern Sky : An Amateur Astronomer's Guide Chadwick, S., Cooper, I., pg.viii, Pub. Springer (2012)
6. Burnham's Celestial Handbook. Robert Burnham Jr.. 1978. 458 .
7. Dynamical Evolution and Spectral Characteristics of the Stellar Group Mamajek 2. Jilinski, E. . 4 . Ortega, V.G. . de la Reza, R. . Drake, N.A. . Bazzanella, B. . amp . 2009. Astrophysical Journal. 691. 1. 212. 2009ApJ...691..212J. 10.1088/0004-637X/691/1/212. 0810.1198. 15570695 .