NGC 2244 is a star cluster located in the constellation of Monoceros, Latin for “unicorn”, approximately 5,000 light years away from Earth. It was discovered by John Flamsteed in 1690. NGC 2244 is part of a larger structure known as the Rosette Nebula, a massive cloud of gas and dust that spans over 130 light-years. NGC 2244 is a type of star cluster known as an open cluster. This means that its stars are relatively loosely bound together. The star cluster itself is a relatively young formation, estimated to be around 1.5 million years old. It’s also quite massive, with a total mass of around 4,000 solar masses, and it’s believed to contain more than 500 stars.
NGC 2244 is home to several other massive stars, including O-type stars like its central star, a massive and hot O-class star known as HD 46223. This star is over 30 times larger than our Sun, and it’s believed to be the primary source of the ionizing radiation that is responsible for the glowing gas in the Rosette Nebula. These stars are some of the most massive and luminous stars in the universe, and they have very short lifetimes. They are also responsible for creating many of the heavy elements in the universe, which are formed in their cores through nuclear fusion.
Procedure:
To study NGC 2244 I gathered 15 images using the Skynet robotic telescope network, PROMPT-MO-1, PROMPT-USASK, and PROMPT5 using three different filters(B, G, V). I used afterglow and cluster pro plus software to create my images and graphs. NGC 2244 is home to many main sequence stars including blue straglers and the previously mentioned mass O-type stars.
Figure 1: Created using Cluster pro plus software. NGC 2244 is packed with stars all across the main sequence from blue straglers to red dwarfs.
Figure 2: Image produced using the images taken using the different filters then stacked together in Afterglow.
Conclusion:
Unfortunately, my images did not capture any of the Rosette nebulae. I was warned ahead of time that some stars in this cluster may be too bright. As can be seen in the pictures a few did oversaturate the camera. I did however learn more than I ever have about stars and clusters. All in all, it was a fun project.
References: