1. Star Clusters Willy Wassmer

2. Knowledge Base Stars have similar age Ages of Star Clusters can be derived by BVRI CCD photometry as shown by William Liller Distances to Stellar Objects can be found from Parallax view Elements within stars can be determined using Emission Spectra Parallax View http://www.astro.umd.edu/resources/introastro/i mages/parallax.gif

3. Knowledge Base Cont. Globular Clusters Similar age 50 to 300 light years across Hundreds to 200 million stars Formed when the universe was very young Hercules Cluster Hercules Cluster http://www.rc- astro.com/php/phpthumb/cache/phpThumb_cache_rc- astro.com_srce4d4565e800c0a1c8e17c177a7713b4e_par0ddf367c5f01d9ba090bf356b67 61f52_dat1208719109.jpeg http://www.rc- astro.com/php/phpthumb/cache/phpThumb_cache_rc- astro.com_srce4d4565e800c0a1c8e17c177a7713b4e_par0ddf367c5f01d9ba090bf356b67 61f52_dat1208719109.jpeg

4. Knowledge Base Cont. Open Clusters Stars have relatively Same age Similar Chemical Composition Composed of Younger Stars which are bright and can be easily observed Pleiades, Beehive, Perseus (double cluster), M6 cluster, Hyads Pleiades http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0711/pleiades_fs_bi g.jpg http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0711/pleiades_fs_bi g.jpg

5. Candidates 1.Pleiades 2.Hyades 3.Beehive Cluster 4.Hercules Cluster 5.Perseus Double Cluster 6.M6 7.Omega Centauri 8.M34 9.M35 10.M47 and M46 11. Coma Cluster 12. M5 13. M4 14. M92 15. Jewel Box Star cluster 16. M6 and M7 17. M22 18. Coat Hanger Cluster 19. M2 20. M15

6. Do-Ability Materials are readily available –Computer –CCD imager –Telescope BVRI filters if purchased could also be used in this topic

7. Bibliography The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright ©2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. All Rights Reserved. http://www.questia.com/library/encyclopedia/star_cluster.jsphttp://www.questia.com/library/encyclopedia/star_cluster.jsp Eugenio Carretta “Abundances in Red Giant Stars of NGC 2808 and Correlations between Chemical Anomalies and Global Parameters in Globular Clusters.” Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna. The Astronomical Journal, 2006 March. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006AJ....131.1766C Lee, H.; Kim, S.-L.; Kim, H.-J. ; Jeon, Y.-B.; Park, H,-S. “New Variable Stars in the Open Cluster M103.” Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, 26 October 2005, Dept. of Earth Science Education, Korea National University of Education, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005IBVS.5656....1Lhttp://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005IBVS.5656....1L Gonzalo Alcaino and William Liller “Ages of Globular Clusters Derived from BVRI CCD photometry.” Instituto Isaac Newton, Ministerio de Educación de Chile, Santiago, Chile. Societá Astronomica Italiana, Vol 57 No. 3. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1986MmSAI..57..321A http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1986MmSAI..57..321A Prof. Fabrizio Mazzucconi, Enrico Albisetti and Bernardo Mannucci. “Atlas of The Skies: Journeying between the stars and planets in the discovery of the universe.”TAJ Books 2003 Mike Lynch. “The Essential guide to Our Night Sky: New York Starwatch.” Voyageur Press 2005 p.46 and 47 Elmegreen, Bruce G., Yuri Efremov, Ralph E. Pudritz, and Hans Zinnercker. “Observations and Theory of Star Cluster Formation.” http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/onlinebks/ppiv/chap07.pdfhttp://www.uapress.arizona.edu/onlinebks/ppiv/chap07.pdf Chandra X-ray Observatory (2008, April 29). Oldest Known Celestial Objects are Surprisingly Immature. Science Daily. Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428140351.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428140351.htm ESA Hubble Information Centre (2008, August 6). Thousands of Globular Clusters Identified in Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. Science Daily. Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080805234054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080805234054.htm