Double Cluster facts for kids
The Double Cluster is a special pair of two star groups, known as NGC 884 and NGC 869. These groups are called star clusters. You can find them in the Perseus constellation, which is a pattern of stars in the night sky.
These clusters are home to many bright blue and red stars. They are so bright that you can even see them without a telescope if the sky is dark enough! The Double Cluster is about 7,500 light years away from us. A light-year is how far light travels in one year, which is a very long distance! To give you an idea, our own Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 light-years wide. So, the Double Cluster is relatively close to us in space.
Stars in the Double Cluster
The Double Cluster is famous for having some truly enormous stars. These stars are much, much bigger than our own Sun!
Supergiant Stars
Some of the biggest stars in these clusters are called red supergiants. Imagine a star hundreds of times larger than the Sun!
- RS Persei is a red supergiant that is about 770 times bigger than the Sun.
- T Persei is another red supergiant, around 510 times larger than the Sun.
- SU Persei and AV Persei are also red supergiants. SU Persei is about 780 times bigger than the Sun, and AV Persei is about 770 times bigger.
Hypergiant Star
Even bigger than a supergiant is a hypergiant.
- S Persei is a red hypergiant star in the cluster. It is an amazing 1,212 times larger than the Sun!
Images for kids
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The Double Cluster in Perseus (lower left of center, wide angle view)
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The Double Cluster in Perseus, visible light.
See also
In Spanish: Cúmulo Doble de Perseo para niños
