Author Question: Contrast the open vs. globular clusters in terms of age, color, galactic distribution, chemical ... (Read 24 times)

go.lag · **on:** Jul 27, 2018

Contrast the open vs. globular clusters in terms of age, color, galactic distribution, chemical composition, and populations.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

The Copernican Principle notes that we are nothing special, not at the center of anything. Apply it to the work of Harlow Shapley.

What will be an ideal response?

xoxo123 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 27, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Open star clusters usually are younger, bluer, lie close to the galactic disk, are richer in metals, and belong to Population I. Older globular clusters are all over the halo, are dominated by evolved red giants, are much richer in numbers, and are classified in population II.

Answer to Question 2

While Herschel's star counts suggested that the solar system lay near the center of the Milky Way, Shapley noted that dust was blocking our view of all but the closest parts of the Galaxy. Shapley's globular clusters lay above the halo, well above the dust clouds of the galactic plane, and showed that we lie about 8 kpc distant from the center in Sagittarius.