What is the approximate lifespan for many open clusters before they dissolve into the galactic field?
Answer
On the order of just a few million years
The lifespan of an open cluster is incredibly brief when measured against the age of the galaxy itself. Due to their loose binding and constant exposure to galactic tidal forces and passing clouds, these structures are transient. The estimated time before they completely scatter their constituent stars back into the general stellar population of the disk is generally limited to only a few million years, making them ephemeral snapshots of stellar evolution.
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