Due to their shared origin, what two fundamental properties do stars within a single open cluster possess?
Answer
Roughly the same age and chemical composition
Since every star comprising an open cluster originated simultaneously from the same parent giant molecular cloud of gas and dust, all members inherently share the same fundamental characteristics reflecting that moment of birth. This uniformity means they possess nearly identical ages, as they all began nuclear fusion at the same time, and they share the same initial chemical composition derived from that parent cloud. This synchronicity in age and makeup makes these clusters invaluable for astrophysics because an astronomer can observe a collection of stars that are effectively snapshots of the same evolutionary stage, differing primarily only by their initial masses.
Related Questions
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