M36: New data on the open cluster in the constellation Auriga

Today we're sharing a new addition to our astronomical dataset: the open cluster M36, a true gem located in the constellation Auriga.

M36 (Messier 36) is about 4,100 light-years from Earth and is made up of several dozen young stars, estimated to be between 20 and 25 million years old. In astronomical terms, this makes it a "newborn" cluster. Its still-hot and bright stars stand out especially when we observe beyond the visible spectrum.

Although M36 may appear to be a modest group of stars to the naked eye, at non-visible wavelengths it reveals a much richer structure. These types of open clusters are excellent natural laboratories for studying stellar evolution, since all their stars were born at approximately the same time and from the same cloud of gas and dust.

M36, with more than 10 hours of integration

New Image and New Data

The M36 image we're presenting today will be added to the dataset available at Invisible Colors, expanding the material we share with our community. Remember, the subscription is free and gives you access to all the data and images we publish, both current and future.

If you're not yet subscribed, now's a great time to do so and not miss anything we're preparing.

An this isn't all...

With the arrival of the holidays, more images, more data, and new projects are coming, which we'll be sharing little by little.

Thank you for joining us and for continuing to explore the universe with us, even in those colors we can't see with the naked eye.