Westerlund 1 - an amazing super star cluster

[jsmoraes]

A very intriguing Super star cluster in constellation of Ara. Also known as Ara Cluster, a compact, massive and young cluster of Via Láctea at the outer edge of the bar.

The strong Interestelar Extintion, absortion cause by gas and dust between the observer and object, cause distortions of stars' colors, with a reddish appearance. In my photo very red.

There are many informations about the population of hyper, super and very massive stars, and reference to existence of supernovas, althoug only one remanent was found as magnetar.

An amazing and not usual object and region !

My photo and other from ESO can be seen HERE (http://jsmastronomy.30143.n7.nabble.com/Westerlund-1-2014-td298.html).

note: IIS has many messages about these super star clusters.

[cometcatcher]

That's cool! Look how red it is. I've never heard of it.

[Rex]

Jorge that is amazing mate, that is a beautiful cluster and a great image. Like Kevin I have never heard of this one.

[jsmoraes]

Me, too. And there is another one similar in constellation of Carina: Westerlund 2, near NGC 3247.

I didn't know up to now, but I already shot it, too.

It is an amazing region, and I had difficulties to frame and shot it. I tried many times.

You can see HERE (http://jsmastronomy.30143.n7.nabble.com/NGC-3247-and-Westerlund-2-2014-td212.html).

If you search for Westerlund in this forum IceinSpace, you will find many messages and excellent informations about these unusual objects, since 2012.

My Carte du Ciel hasn't them. I found them with Google Earth mode sky exploration. Despite they aren't known by majority of amateurs, they are very well studied, because they are complex and very intriguing objects. There are many informations on internet about them, too.

It worth read about them. Really, it does !

[mariner10]

Hi Jorge, like everybody else I've never heard of the Ara Cluster either but it's on my list now. A great shot and a beautiful object.
Makes me wonder if I've seen it inadvertently or where it's been hiding.

[jsmoraes]

Westerlund 2 is very easy to find. Some cartes, like CDC, doesn't show it as individual object. They include it with the nebula NGC 3247.

See the image HERE (http://jsmastronomy.30143.n7.nabble.com/NGC-3247-and-Westerlund-2-2014-td212.html).

These YMC (Young Massive Cluster - better name than Super Stars Cluster) were identified in 1961, by Westerlund. He didn't understand well them, because they have different and specific behaviors. And they are under strong influence of Interestelar Extintion.

Only latter these objects received the attention they deserve.


To find Westerlund 1 is more hard. You can use the star HD 151018 as shown in http://www.astrobin.com/121197/ or position your telescope around RA 16 47 DEC 45 50. It is very faint and very red. Be sure that your mount is well aligned with south pole if you use the RA and Dec information. You will loose easily the object with little errors of positioning. I know it ! I did it !

Some messages here about these objects, with excellent informations.

Images > Deep Space > NGC3247 comparison in Ha and NIR: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=121906&highlight=Westerlund

General Astronomy > Astronomy and Amateur Science > Here we go again . . . : http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=120201&highlight=Westerlund

General Astronomy > Observational and Visual Astronomy > Observation Reports > Westerlund 2 : http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=117716&highlight=Westerlund

General Astronomy > Observational and Visual Astronomy > Westerlund 1: From blobular to globular in 100 million years :
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=119639&highlight=Westerlund


General Astronomy > Astronomy and Amateur Science > Massive clusters Westerlund 1 & 2 - hot pix!! :
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=119608&highlight=Westerlund

... and many others messages.

[madwayne]

Very informative and great photos Jorge, thank you so much.

Wayne