Stephenson 2
Stephenson 2, also known as RSGC2 (Red Supergiant Cluster 2), is a young massive open cluster belonging to the Milky Way galaxy. It was discovered in 1990 as a cluster of red supergiants in a photographic, deep infrared survey by the astronomer Charles Bruce Stephenson, after whom the cluster is named. It is located in the constellation Scutum at the distance of about 6 kpc from the Sun. It is likely situated at the intersection of the northern end of the Long Bar of the Milky Way and the inner portion of the Scutum–Centaurus Arm—one of the two major spiral arms.
| Stephenson 2 | |
|---|---|
2MASS image of Stephenson 2 as the cluster of stars in the upper left, with Stephenson 2 DFK 1 at the center. Credit: Université de Strasbourg/CNRS (2003) | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Right ascension | 18h 39m 21.12s |
| Declination | −06° 01′ 44.4″ |
| Distance | (5.83+1.91 −0.78kpc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | not visible |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 1.8' |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass | 3–5 × 104 M☉ |
| Radius | ~4 pc |
| Estimated age | 14–20 my |
| Other designations | RSGC2 |
| Associations | |
| Constellation | Scutum |
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