NGC 2257

NGC 2257
NGC 2257 image made by the Wide Field Imager instrument on the 2.2-metre MPG/ESO telescope at La Silla Credit: ESO
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Dorado
Right ascension	6h 30.4m 00s[1]
Declination	-64° 19′ 00″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	13.5[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)	3.4′[1]
Physical characteristics
Other designations	KMHK 1756, [SL63] 895, ESO 87-24, LW 481[2]
See also: Globular cluster, List of globular clusters

NGC 2257 is a globular cluster that lies on the outskirts of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Globular clusters contain very old stars, being typically over 10 billion years old, and can therefore be used like a "fossil record" to learn more about the Universe’s past. They are densely packed, with tens to hundreds of thousands of stars gathered within a diameter of just a few tens of light-years.

External links

• An Ancient Cluster of Stars Against a Stunning Background – ESO Picture of the week.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "The Interactive NGC Catalog Online". Results for NGC 2257. http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngc.cgi?NGC2257. Retrieved 2010-11-15. 
2. ^ "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for NGC 2257. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=NGC+2257. Retrieved 2010-11-15.