What external galactic dynamic process causes the eventual dispersal of an open cluster?
Answer
Tidal stripping
The inevitable end for an open cluster is its dispersal, a process significantly accelerated by external gravitational interactions known as tidal stripping. As the cluster orbits within the gravitational field of the Milky Way, the galaxy's differential gravity acts to pull the loosely associated members apart. This external tugging, along with encounters with other stars or nebulae in the dense galactic disk, is sufficient to overcome the cluster's remaining internal gravitational cohesion, causing the stars to drift away until the group ceases to exist as a distinct entity.
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