Messier 34

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title: "Messier 34" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["open-clusters", "perseus-(constellation)", "messier-objects", "ngc-objects", "orion–cygnus-arm", "astronomical-objects-discovered-in-1654"] description: "Open cluster in constellation Perseus" topic_path: "general/open-clusters" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_34" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Open cluster in constellation Perseus ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox open cluster"]

Field	Value
name	Messier 34
image	[[File:M34 Mazur.jpg
caption	Open cluster Messier 34 in Perseus
epoch	J2000.0
ra
title	M 34
access-date	2009-09-03
dec
constellation	Perseus
dist_ly	1,500 light years
dist_pc	470 pc
appmag_v	5.5
size_v	35.0′
radius_ly	7 ly
age	200–250 million years
names	NGC 1039, Cr 31, OCl 382, C 0238+425
::

| name = Messier 34 | image = [[File:M34 Mazur.jpg|300px]] | caption= Open cluster Messier 34 in Perseus | epoch = J2000.0 | ra = | title=M 34 | access-date=2009-09-03 | dec = | constellation = Perseus | dist_ly = 1,500 light years | dist_pc = 470 pc | appmag_v = 5.5 | size_v = 35.0′ | mass_kg = | mass_msol = | radius_ly = 7 ly | v_hb = | age = 200–250 million years | notes = | names = NGC 1039, Cr 31, OCl 382, C 0238+425

Messier 34 (also known as M34, NGC 1039, or the Spiral Cluster) is a large and relatively near open cluster in Perseus. It was probably discovered by Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654 and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of comet-like objects in 1764. Messier described it as, "A cluster of small stars a little below the parallel of γ (Andromedae). In an ordinary telescope of 3 feet one can distinguish the stars." | first=Kenneth Glyn | last=Jones | date=1991 | edition=2nd | title=Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters | page=139 | publisher=Cambridge University Press | isbn=978-0-521-37079-0

Based on the distance modulus of 8.38, it is about 470 pc away. For stars ranging from 0.12 to 1 solar mass (), the cluster has about 400. It spans about 35′ on the sky which translates to a true radius of 7.5 light years at such distance. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye in very dark conditions, well away from city lights. It is possible to see it in binoculars when light pollution is low.

The age of this cluster lies between the ages of the Pleiades open cluster at 100 million years and the Hyades open cluster at 800 million years. Specifically, comparison between noted stellar spectra and the values predicted by stellar evolutionary models suggest 200–250 million years.{{cite journal | author=Jones, B. F. | author2=Prosser, Charles F. | date=1996 | title=Membership of Stars in NGC 1039 (M34) | journal=Astronomical Journal | volume=111 | pages=1193 | doi=10.1086/117865 | bibcode=1996AJ....111.1193J | author=Irwin, Jonathan| display-authors=etal| date=2006 | title=The Monitor project: rotation of low-mass stars in the open cluster M34 | journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | volume=370 | issue=2 | pages=954–974 | doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10521.x | doi-access=free| bibcode=2006MNRAS.370..954I |arxiv = astro-ph/0605617 | s2cid=10454602}}

The average proportion of elements with higher atomic numbers than helium is termed the metallicity by astronomers. This is expressed by the logarithm of the ratio of iron to hydrogen, compared to the same proportion in the Sun. For M34, the metallicity has a value of [Fe/H] = +0.07 ± 0.04. This is equivalent to a 17% higher proportion of iron compared to the Sun. Other elements show a similar abundance, save for nickel which is underabundant. | author=Schuler, Simon C.| display-authors=etal| date=2003 | title=Spectroscopic Abundances of Solar-Type Dwarfs in the Open Cluster M34 (NGC 1039) | journal=Astronomical Journal | volume=125 | issue=4 | pages=2085–2097 | doi=10.1086/373927 | bibcode=2003AJ....125.2085S | url=http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1247&context=physastro_pubs| doi-access=free}}

At least 19 members are white dwarfs. These are stellar remnants of progenitor stars of up to eight solar masses () that have evolved through the main sequence and are no longer have thermonuclear fusion to generate energy. Seventeen of these are of spectral type DA or DAZ, while one is a type DB and the last is a type DC.{{cite journal | author=Rubin, Kate H. R. | author2=Williams, Kurtis A. | author3=Bolte, M. | author4=Koester, Detlev | date=2008 | title=The White Dwarf Population in NGC 1039 (M34) and the White Dwarf Initial-Final Mass Relation | journal=Astronomical Journal | volume=135 | issue=6 | pages=2163–2176 | doi=10.1088/0004-6256/135/6/2163 | bibcode=2008AJ....135.2163R |arxiv = 0805.3156 | s2cid=1481865 }}

References

References

1. "Messier 34".
2. freestarcharts.com. "Messier 34 - M34 - Open Cluster {{!}} freestarcharts.com".

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