Trumpler 14
| Trumpler 14 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Carina |
| Right ascension | 10h 43m 56s |
| Declination | −59° 33′ 00″ |
| Distance | 8,980 ly (2,753 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.5 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass |
4.3+3.3 −1.5×103 M☉ |
| Estimated age | 300000–500000 years |
| Notable features | One of the youngest known star clusters |
| Other designations | C 1041-593, Cl VDBH 102, [DBS2003] 54, [KPR2004b] 263, [KPS2012] MWSC 1846 |
Trumpler 14 (Tr 14) is an open cluster with a diameter of six light-years (1.8 pc), located within the inner regions of the Carina Nebula, approximately 8,980 light-years (2,753 pc) from Earth. Together with the nearby Trumpler 16, they are the main clusters of the Carina OB1 stellar association, which is the largest association in the Carina Nebula, although Trumpler 14 is not as massive or as large as Trumpler 16.
About 2000 stars have been identified in Trumpler 14. and the total mass of the cluster is estimated to be 4,300 M☉.
It is one of the youngest known star clusters, estimates range from 300 to 500 thousand years old. For comparison, the massive super star cluster R136 is about 1 to 2 million years old, and the famous Pleiades is about 115 million years old.
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). The brightest member is HD 93129, a triple system consisting of three individual class O stars. It also contains HD 93128, an O3.5 V((fc))z star, an extremely hot and young main sequence star.
In a few million years, as its stars die, it will trigger the formation of metal-rich stars, and in a few hundred million years Trumpler 14 will probably dissipate.
Image of the Carina OB1 association. Trumpler 14 is the massive cluster of stars at the upper right of center.
Trumpler 14 as seen by the Multi-conjugate Adaptive optics Demonstrator (MAD) mounted on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT). Image is based on a combination of K and H filters. Field of view is about two arcminutes across.
Coordinates: 
10h 43m 56s, −59° 33′ 00″
...
Wikipedia