Why are open clusters characteristically absent from elliptical galaxies?
Elliptical galaxies have largely exhausted the gas needed for new star formation
The absence of open clusters in elliptical galaxies is a direct consequence of their evolutionary state and environment. Open clusters are products of active star formation, requiring substantial amounts of cool interstellar gas and dust to initiate their creation. Elliptical galaxies are typically older systems where this raw material for star birth has already been extensively consumed or expelled. Without the necessary gas density to fuel new star formation events, these galaxies cannot produce the young, ephemeral groupings that characterize open clusters, solidifying their identity as stellar associations confined to areas where star birth is currently ongoing.
