A stunning three-color image of NGC 2266, an open star cluster located approximately 10,000 light-years away in the constellation Gemini. This billion-year-old cluster, part of the New General Catalog (NGC), showcases numerous evolved red giant stars against a backdrop of countless other stars. The image beautifully highlights the cluster's density and the varied colors of its stellar components.

Astronomy Picture from 01/06/2002

NGC 2266: Old Cluster in the New General Catalog

Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020601.html


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