How does an Open Cluster visually appear through a telescope compared to a Globular Cluster?
Answer
An open cluster looks like a handful of bright stars randomly scattered, unlike a globular cluster which resembles a tiny, fuzzy, centrally concentrated ball of light.
Visual identification relies on the structural differences between the two cluster types. An open cluster is characterized by a low stellar density and an irregular, scattered appearance, translating visually through optics into a small grouping of distinct, bright stars spread out across a field. Conversely, a globular cluster exhibits extremely high stellar density and a spherical symmetry, making it appear to the observer as a singular, concentrated, fuzzy ball of light with a bright core, rather than a collection of individual, separate points.
Related Questions
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