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NGC 5045 - an apparently non-existent open star cluster in
the constellation Centaurus, NGC 4815 and NGC 5281 |
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Description of object:
NGC 5045 is specified as an open star cluster with an apparent
diameter of nearly one degree. It is said to be rich in stars and to contain at
least 30 stars of the 11th magnitude class. The region lies about 5 degrees
southeast of Becrux, one of the stars of the Southern Cross constellation.
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This
cluster seems to be non-existent, although there are several pages on the
Internet describing NGC 5045. Even the SIMBAD database in Strasbourg lists NGC
5045 as a large galactic open star cluster with a distance of about 4500 light
years. Even the DSS image (" left) does not show a corresponding star cluster.
Who has here copied from whom?
The
discovery is attributed to John Herschel on June 16, 1835 with his 18 inch
reflecting telescope.
The field contains a number of small open star
clusters, with NGC 4815 (lower right in the image) and NGC 5281 (bright, upper
left in the image).
NGC 4815, classified as Type
I 3 m by Trumpler, has a distance of about 10,000 light-years and was
discovered by John Herschel on March 13, 1834.
NGC 5281, classified as type I
1 p by Trumpler, has a distance of about 3500 light years and was
discovered by Nicolas Lacaille in 1751. |
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All Images and all Content are ©
by Franz Hofmann + Wolfgang Paech |