Star Cluster
A Star Cluster or star cloud is a group of stars. There are two types of star clusters: Globular Clusters and Open Clusters.
A Globular Cluster is a tight group of hundreds or thousands of very old stars, which are gravitationally bound. There are at least 157 known Globular Clusters in the Milky Way Galaxy.
An Open Cluster is a more loosely clustered groups of stars, generally contain fewer than a few hundred members, and are often very young. There are over 1,000 known open clusters in the Milky Way galaxy, but the actual total may be up to ten times higher.
There are a variety of star clusters in Elite: Dangerous that contain rich survey data opportunities.
*Zero and O appear very similar in the galaxy map; therefore, it may be problematic navigating to the correct coordinates.*
*This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.*
Trumpler 16
Trumpler 16 is the home of WR 25 (not the actual in-game designation), currently the most luminous star known in our Milky Way galaxy, together with the less luminous but more massive and famous Eta Carinae star system and the O2 supergiant HD 93129A (not the actual in-game designation).
Trumpler 16 can be reached by plotting a course to CPD-59 2574.
Eta Carinae can be located by name, using the search tool.
Trumpler 14
Trumpler 14 is about half a million years old and one of the youngest known star clusters in the galaxy. Due to its location within the inner parts of the Carina Nebula, Trumpler 14 is currently undergoing massive star formation. As a result, the star cluster exhibits many stars of late O to early A spectral type, which are very massive (at least 10 solar masses), short-lived and hot (20000 K).
Trumpler 14 can be reached by plotting a course to CPD-57 3518.
A class A blue supergiant can be located near the cluster by plotting a course to HD 91969.
Messier 67
Messier 67 (also known as M67, NGC 2682, or the Cancri Cluster) is an open cluster in the constellation of Cancer.
The cluster had previously been out of reach, due to the 219 light-year gap between OUTOTCH SA-U D4-O and AH CANCRI. However, due to a recent discovery of a massive FSD boost via neutron star, what is known as the "Cancri Climb" became possible. M67 does not contain any neutron stars.
In mid January 2017, a fleet of approximately 360 starships of the Distant Stars Expedition embarked on a treacherous mission to a system dubbed "Elesium," within the M67 Galaxy... never to return.
Messier 67 can be found by searching for NGC 2682 FBC 4778.
NGC 3590
NGC 3590 is a small open cluster of stars located in the constellation of Carina (the Keel) and is roughly 35 million years old.
NGC 3590 can be reached by plotting a route to 2MASS J11130656-6047542.
Pleiades Nebula
The Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters, Messier 45, or M45), is an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot B-type stars that have formed within the last 100 million years. It is located in the constellation of Taurus.
The cluster is at the center of excitement due to the discovery of intelligent alien life.
The Pleiades can be reached by plotting a course to Pleiades, which will bring you to Maia. There, you can find the only space station available in the area.
Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated in the Milky Way. It is one of the brightest nebulae and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light-years across. It is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky and is among the most intensely studied celestial features. The Orion Nebula contains a very young open cluster, known as the Trapezium due to the asterism (any pattern of stars recognized in the Earth's night sky) of its primary four stars.
There are eight star clusters associated with the nebulae in the Orion region:
- Trapezium
- NGC 1981
- Collinder 70
- Collinder 69
- NGC 1977
- NGC 2232
- NGC 1980
Trapezium
The Trapezium or Orion Trapezium Cluster, also known by its Bayer designation of Theta Orionis, is a tight open cluster of stars in the heart of the Orion Nebula, in the constellation of Orion. It is a relatively young cluster that has formed directly out of the parent nebula and may be a sub-component of the larger Orion Nebula Cluster.
This star cluster is most readily identifiable by the asterism of four relatively bright stars for which it is named. The four are often identified as A, B, C, and D in order of increasing right ascension. The brightest of the four stars is C, or Theta Orionis C.
NGC 1981
NGC 1981 is a young, bright open cluster visible in the constellation of Orion. It is a collection of about 20 or so stars (largely magnitudes 7 through 10) and is about 40 light-years closer to Earth than the Orion Nebula.
Collinder 70
Collinder 70 is a large open cluster, located around the belt of Orion. It includes all three belt stars: Mintaka (the Girdle), Alnilam (The string of Pearls) and Alnitak (the Belt). The cluster has a diameter of almost 3 degrees and consists of 100 stars or more.
Collinder 69
Collinder 69 is an open star cluster located north-west of the star Betelgeuse in the constellation of Orion. It is about five million years old and roughly 1,300 ly (400 pc) away from the Sun. Included within the cluster is a double star named Meissa.
NGC 1977
[to come]
NGC 2232
[to come]
NGC 1980
[to come]
NGC 7822 Nebula
NGC 7822 is a young star forming complex in the constellation of Cepheus. The complex also includes one of the hottest stars discovered within 1 kpc of the Sun within an eclipsing binary system. The star is one of the primary sources illuminating the nebula and shaping the complex's famed pillars of creation-type formations, the elephant trunks.
One commander embarked on an expedition to the nebula and has provided detailed information on the journey:
Mapping NGC 7822 Nebula (It's Black Hole Paradise!)
"NGC 7822 hangs like a scattering of bright diamonds, but that is only apparent as you draw near. From a distance the nebula looks like a large white dot; easily mistakable for a planetary body. Yet whilst it may look quite unremarkable at this view point, it is without doubt one of the wonders of the galaxy.
Once you enter the nebula it is as though you are transported to a different dimension, the first thing that hits you is the blue light of the stars which illuminate your cockpit with vivid shades. All the major systems inside this region contain Class O Blue / White stars. The nebula itself is red and black, the dark areas are in fact so dark that they completely occlude the galactic core. The surrounding space is dark with so few stars that it is actually possible to count them, the absence of the galactic core after its constant presence is striking.
A typical system will often contain multiple stars, and it's not unusual for a system to contain around 10 stars and in some cases many, many more. Such stars will be from a variety of class, and will include the usual white and brown dwarfs. All orbiting in sometimes complex layouts."
— Obsidian Ant
Navigation
These group of clusters can be found by plotting a course to HD 36560.
Theta Orionis C can be found using the search feature on the galaxy map.
NGC 1981 can be found by plotting a course to NGC 1981 Sector YZ-Y C11. A class A Blue Supergiant can be found near this cluster by plotting a course to HD 37660.
Both Collinder 70 and 69 are particularly difficult to make out in the rich star-field found in the Orion Nebula. The most noticeable clustering of these stars are possible to find through the following:
Collider 70 can be reached by navigating to COL 70 SECTOR MR-U C3-8.
Collinder 69 can be reached by navigating to COL 69 SECTOR ZO-R C4-8.
Mintaka and Alnitak can be found by searching for them via the galaxy map.
Gallery
TRUMPLER 16
TRUMPLER 14
MESSIER 67- NGC 3590
PLEIADES
ORION NEBULA
NGC 1981
COLLINDER 70
COLLINDER 69