Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Tue May 14 2024 00:11:58

                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2024 May 14

                               The 37 Cluster
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Sergio Eguivar

   Explanation: For the mostly harmless denizens of planet Earth, the
   brighter stars of open cluster NGC 2169 seem to form a cosmic 37. Did
   you expect 42? From our perspective, the improbable numerical asterism
   appears solely by chance. It lies at an estimated distance of 3,300
   light-years toward the constellation Orion. As far as galactic or open
   star clusters go, NGC 2169 is a small one, spanning about 7
   light-years. Formed at the same time from the same cloud of dust and
   gas, the stars of NGC 2169 are only about 11 million years old. Such
   clusters are expected to disperse over time as they encounter other
   stars, interstellar clouds, and experience gravitational tides while
   hitchhiking through the galaxy. Over four billion years ago, our own
   Sun was likely formed in a similar open cluster of stars.

             Gallery: Earth Aurora from Solar Active Region 3664
                    Tomorrow's picture: green space arch
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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