Credit: Hubble Space Telescope
Astronomical and Imaging Data
| RA: | 16h 52m 10.60s |
| DEC: | -47° 03′ 29.0″ |
| MAG: | 12.9 |
| Diameter: | 0.8′ |
| Const: | Ara |
| OTA | Hubble Space Telescope |
| Focal Length | |
| Camera | |
| Site | |
| Sky Quality |
Useful Informations
FSR 1735 is a notable globular cluster located in the inner regions of the Milky Way, specifically within the constellation Ara. Discovered in 2007 by Dirk Froebrich and his colleagues, it was identified as part of a large-scale survey of the Galactic Plane (the FSR catalogue) using near-infrared data.
Because it lies within the “Zone of Avoidance”—a region near the center of our galaxy heavily obscured by thick clouds of interstellar dust and gas—it is almost invisible in optical light and was only confirmed using infrared observations that can penetrate this “galactic fog.”
Physical Characteristics
FSR 1735 is a densely packed, roughly spherical collection of stars. Its primary physical stats include:
- Stellar Population: The cluster contains approximately 100,000 stars.
- Mass: Its total mass is estimated to be about 65,000 times the mass of our Sun.
- Size: It is relatively compact, spanning roughly 7 light-years in diameter.
- Metallicity: The stars within FSR 1735 are “metal-poor,” meaning they contain roughly 5 to 8 times fewer heavy elements than the Sun. This low metallicity is a hallmark of ancient stellar systems.
Location and Distance
FSR 1735 is situated deep within the inner Galaxy, approximately 30,000 light-years from Earth. More significantly, it is located only about 10,000 light-years from the Galactic Center. Its position close to the Galactic Plane made its discovery particularly challenging, as the high density of “field stars” (background stars not belonging to the cluster) often masks such objects.
Scientific Importance
The discovery of FSR 1735 was significant because it helped fill a gap in our census of the Milky Way’s globular clusters. Astronomers believe there may still be several undiscovered clusters hidden behind the dust of the inner Galaxy. By studying objects like FSR 1735, scientists can better understand the early formation and assembly of the Milky Way, as these clusters act as “fossils” that have survived for nearly 10 billion years.