Star cluster NGC 2259. Image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) of the star cluster NGC 2259. Here the star cluster is overshadowe

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Star cluster NGC 2259. Image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) of the star cluster NGC 2259. Here the star cluster is overshadowed by the surrounding stars and dust which glow brightly in infrared light. NGC 2259 lies around 12,000 light-years from Earth and is an example of an open cluster, where the stars are more loosely organised. At far left is the star HR 258 (bright, blue). Although it appears to be one star, it is actually a binary star system and lies much closer than the NGC 2259 star cluster (around 127 light-years).

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Photo credit: © NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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